Coryne pusilla Gaertner 1774

Coryne pusilla Gaertner, 1774

(fig. 2R–U)

Coryne pusilla Gaertner, 1774: 40, pl. 4 fig. 8.— Brinckmann-Voss, 1970: 51, fig. 57.—Millard, 1975: 51, fig. 19F–G.— Hirohito, 1988: 33, fig. 10A–C.— Schuchert, 1996: 119, fig. 72.— Schuchert, 2001a: 48, fig. 34.— Schuchert, 2001b: 776, fig. 14A–B.

Material examined. Stn. 2: 26.01.2008 —several hydranths, no gonophores, on algae. Stn. 3: 0 1.04.2008 – numerous small colonies, some with male gonophores, on various algae, concretions and sponge. Stn. 7: 25.03.2008 —several small, stolonal colonies, some with a few female gonophores, on Dictyota sp. and concretions; 27.03.2008 —a small, sterile colony, mostly stolonal, occasionally with a few erect stems, on concretions.

Type locality. Possibly Cornwall (Allman 1871).

Remarks. The present material originates from an area with strong water movement and therefore the colonies are mainly stolonal. Occasionally, small, erect stems up to 7 mm high and 5 hydranths occur within the colonies. The perisarc ranges from obviously annulated at origin of stems and branches, to nearly smooth elsewhere. There is no perisarc collar at the base of polyps. The hydranths are spindle-shaped and have a row of 3–4 oral tentacles and 3–4 additional lower rows; the total number of tentacles is 18–24. Some polyps in the male colonies bear clusters of up to 3 sporosacs in the upper axils of the basalmost tentacles. The female colony has fewer gonophores per hydranth. Nematocysts (undischarged): large stenoteles (22.6–26.4) × (15.6– 17.8) µm; small stenoteles (10.8–12.3) × (6.6–6.8) µm.

For a complete description of C. pusilla, its synonymy, and additional data, see Schuchert (2001b).

Distribution. Previously recorded from all the European coasts, including the Mediterranean, South Africa, Kerguelen, Seychelles, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, eastern Canada (Schuchert 2001b), Greenland, and Iceland (Schuchert 2001a). The present record extends the known distribution to the tropical eastern Atlantic.