Lucernariopsis capensis Carlgren, 1938 (Cnidaria, Staurozoa) in Brazil: first record outside its type locality in South Africa

Abstract

Staurozoa is a class of Cnidaria comprising stalked, benthic jellyfishes (Marques & Collins 2004) that encompasses about 51 species (Mills 1999; Zagal et al. 2011). Stauromedusae are distributed worldwide, but are more common in temperate and polar waters (Mills & Hirano 2007). Taxonomic knowledge of these cnidarians is inadequate, as is information on their biology and ecology, probably because of their cryptic habit and general inconspicuousness (Mills & Hirano 2007). Consequently, scarcity of material renders their taxonomy even more difficult, demanding basic knowledge of their life cycle (e.g., Miranda et al. 2010) and intraspecific morphological variation (e.g., Miranda et al. 2009). Revisions of unique records of unidentified species (e.g., Lucernariopsis from India by Panikkar 1944), and more complete studies of species known only from original descriptions, sometimes based on few individuals (e.g., Kishinouyea hawaiiensis Edmondson), are necessary and can produce interesting information.

Comparative internal anatomy of Staurozoa (Cnidaria), with functional and evolutionary inferences

“…However, the presence of four chambers only at the base of the peduncle is not easy to observe, demanding serial transversal sections of a well-preserved and straight peduncle (the bodies of stauromedusae frequently contract during preservation). Indeed, cross sections at the bases of peduncles are rare in the descriptions of species, and most of them include only information about the median region of the peduncle (Edmondson, 1930; Carlgren, 1938; Miranda et al, 2012). Consequently, it is difficult to be sure that this distinction was correctly applied in former determinations.…”

“…24; Larson, 1980; Miranda et al, 2012). We found individual pad-like adhesive structures in the outermost secondary tentacles in C. convolvulus , M. uchidai , C. cruciformis , and C. vanhoeffeni .…”

Stalked jellyfishes (Cnidaria: Staurozoa) of South Africa, with the description of Calvadosia lewisi sp. nov.

“…This species is closely related to C. tasmaniensis and C. corbini, in a clade whose possible synapomorphy is a broad pad-like adhesive structure on the tip of each arm (Miranda et al 2016b). This feature is also present in C. hawaiiensis (Edmondson 1930;Grohmann et al 1999) and in C. capensis (Carlgren 1938;Miranda et al 2012b), suggesting that they too may belong to this clade (Miranda et al 2016b). Calvadosia cruxmelitensis has a slightly different pad-like adhesive structure on the tip of the arm, in which the secondary tentacles arise directly from this structure (Corbin 1978;Miranda et al 2016b).…”

“…The taxonomic classification follows Miranda et al (2016b). The species accounts are based on our observations of freshly collected material and on previous literature descriptions, except for C. capensis, which we were unable to re-collect, and relied exclusively on published information from both South Africa (Carlgren 1938) and Brazil (Miranda et al 2012b). Specimens of C. tasmaniensis and C. corbini (Table 2) were also examined for morphological comparison with the South African material.…”

“…Dawson 2004;Miranda et al 2016b) for South Africa is the report of L. stephensoni and D. africana in a regional field guide (Jones 2008). Lipkea stephensoni is currently considered to be endemic to South Africa, whereas D. africana has also been recorded in both Australia (Zagal et al 2011) and New Zealand (Grohmann et al 1999;Cairns et al 2009;Zagal et al 2011), and C. capensis has also been found in Brazil (Miranda et al 2012b).…”