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Family: Zancleidae
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Polyp: Colony stolonal; creeping hydrorhiza with unbranched pedicels; perisarc annulated, ending at hydranth base; hydranth cylindrical with 5-7 oral capitate tentacles and about 35 aboral capitate tentacles. Reproduction: Gonophores released as free medusae, buds borne in clusters among tentacles of lower part of hydranth. Medusa with quadratic umbrella; manubrium cylindrical; 4 perradial exumbrellar cnidocysts pouches; 4 marginal bulbs; 2 opposite tentacles bearing cnidophores. Ecology and Distribution: Epibiotic species, found on floating algae (Sargassum sp.); recorded in the Atlantic Ocean (Sargassum Sea). In Bocas del Toro, known from the vicinity of the Bocas del Toro Research Station - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Remarks: Sargassum sp. hosts a similar species, Coryne sargassicola, which has filiform tentacles at the hydranth base and produces fixed sporosacs. Calder and Kirkendale (2005) found two colonies of Zanclea sp. on the bryozoans Rhynchozoon sp. and Trematooecia sp. Similar taxa: Corynidae Bocas Species Database Distribution: Colombia, Belize, Puerto Rico, and Panama. |