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Family: Plumulariidae
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Polyp: Colonies erect, large (up to 45 cm high), fan-shaped. Hydrorhiza root-like matted tubules, interwoven with sand. Hydrocaulus strongly polysiphonic, irregularly branched. Hydrocladia alternate, monosiphonic, homomerously segmented into hydrothecate internodes separated by oblique nodes. Hydrocladial internodes with three nematothecae surrounding the hydrotheca: one mesial inferior and a superior pair of laterals. Hydrotheca tubular, completely adnate, abcauline side straight to slightly convex, slightly everted at rim. Hydrothecal rim flanked by two conspicuous lateral triangular processes. Nematothecae two-chambered, movable. Reproduction: Gonophores as medusoids. Material from Bocas del Toro was not fertile. Gonothecae similar in both sexes, pear shaped to conical, female often irregular. Ecology and Distribution: West Atlantic tropical species, most records from the Caribbean Sea. In Bocas del Toro collected through SCUBA diving from “the wall” (25 m) and “Pandora” (20m). Similar taxa: Other species of Dentitheca from west Atlantic waters. Bocas Species Database Distribution: Anguilla, Curaçao, Colombia, and Panama. |