Three New Species of Anthomedusae(Hydrozoa,Hydroidomedusae) from the Fujian Sea Water

In this paper,it is reported that samples of anthomedusae collected from neritic water of Quanzhou and Tong'an bay of Xiamen during August 2006~May 2007 and a sample from the east sea water of Ningde of Fujian at July 1988.Through the analysis of 73 samples,three new species are found,i.e.Leuckartiara fujianensis n.sp.,Cladosarsia quanzhouensis n.sp.and Cnidocodon ocellata n.sp..All type samples are deposited at the Department of Oceanography,Xiamen University.Specific characteristics of new species are described as follows: Leuckartiara fujianensis n.sp.(Fig.1) The new species with conical apical projection;with large stomach attached to radial canals by mesenteries;mouth with much folded and crenulated lips;gonads interradial,horseshoe-shaped with folds directed peradially.So the new species belongs to the genus of Leuckartiara Hartlaub,1914.At the present time only 19 valid species in Leuckartiara are known.This new species has four developed perradial tentacles.Only 8 species of Leuckartiara have 4 developed tentacles,i.e.L.abyssi(G.O.Sars,1874),L.brownei Larson and Harbison,1990,L.eckerti Bouillon,1985,L.gardineri Browne,1916,L.jiangyinensis Xu and Huang,2004,L.neustona Xu and Huang,2005,L.simplex Bouillon,1980,and L.zhangraoting Xu and Huang,2006.The differences of the new species from these species of Leuckartiara are showed in Table 1.The main characteristics of the new species:umbrella with conical apical projection;4 developed perradial tentacles,with lateral depressed bulbs,with a abaxial long spur and with ring cnidoblast;4 rather large interradial club-shaped rudimentary tentacles and 8 small adradial club-shaped rudimentary tentacles,without tentacles bulbs,with adnate to the exumbrella at bell margin,all tentacles none ocelli;2 adradial series of gonads connected in the uppermost part and medium transverse bridges.The closest species is L.jianyinensis Xu et Huang,2005,which also has 4 developed marginal tentacles,4 interradial rudimentary tentacles with adnate to exumbrella and 2 adradial series of gonads connected by medium transverse bridge,though their distinctions are:nearly spherical apical projection,4 perradial developed marginal tentacle bulbs with ocelli;only 4 interradial rudimentary tentacles with ocelli at the end;2 adradial series of gonads connected with each other only by medium bridge,no in the uppermost part. Cladosarsia quanzhouensis n.sp.(Fig.2) This new species with marginal bulbs presenting large adaxial pads of cnidocysts;4 perradial tentacles similar with 8~14 long pedunculated cnidocysts knobs and two bifurcating at their ends,each branch provided with a terminal cnidocyst knob;with gonads surrounding completely the manubrium;with ocelli.So the new species belongs to the genus of Cladosarsia Bouillon,1978.At the present time,only 3 species are known in Cladosarsia,i.e.C.minima Bouillon,1978,C.capilata Bouillon,1978 and C.gulangensis Xu et Huang,2006.The closest species is C.gulangensis Xu et Huang,2006,which also has 5~10 pedunculated cnidocyst knobs on tentacles,though their distinction are:manubrium short,without apical cavity,marginal tentacle base without ocelli,with 5~10 abaxial pedunculated cnidocyst knobs at upper and below of bending in several sides and one bifurcating at their ends.These features of C.gulangensis Xu et Huang,2006 differ from those of the new species(See Tab.2).Cnidocodon ocellata n.sp.(Fig.3) The new species has exumbrella with dispersed cnidocysts,manubrium cylindrical;gonads surrounding completely the stomach,4 marginal rather short tentacles,with adaxial cnidocyst cushion on the base,with 6~9 short capitate branches in several levels and sides near the distal part of tentacle.So the new species belongs to genus Cnidocodon Bouillon,1978.New genus Ramus was reported by Zhang et Wu,1981,of which exumbrella without dispersed cnidocysts,without apical projection,with 4 short tentacles,with capitate branches near the distal part of tentacle.These features are similar to Cnidocodon Bouillon,1978.According to the rule of naming,the Ramus xiamenensis Zhang et Wu,1981 was combined as Cnidocodon xiamenensis(Zhang et Wu,1981) by Xu,1993.At present time,two species in genus Cnidocodon were known,i.e.C.leopoldi Bouillon,1978 and C.xiamenensis(Zhang et Wu,1981).Bouillon(2000) regards C.xiamenensis is a doubtful species.But more probably corresponds to the C.leopoldi.In fact,these two species differ from morphological characteristics.C.leopoldi:exumbrella with dispersed cnidocysts,4 short marginal tentacles ending in a cluster of 3~5 capitate branches.C.xiamenensis:exumbrella without dispersed cnidocyst,near distal part of tentacles with 5~8 short capitate branches in several levels and sides.So C.xiamenensis is a valid species.The new species exumbrella with dispersed cnidocyst,4 marginal bulbs with an adaxial cnidocyst cushion and an abaxial ocelli,marginal tentacle with cyclical cnidoblast and near the distal part with 6~9 short capitate branches in several levels and sides.So the new species differs from other two species.