Revision of the genus Acryptolaria Norman, 1875 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Lafoeidae)

Abstract

The genus Acryptolaria is reviewed, with a complete redescription of the type specimens, with the exception of A. andersoni and A. rectangularis for which type material could not be located. The genus includes 16 valid species, though A. andersoni is insufficiently known. All records found in the literature have been checked. The cnidome proved to be a useful tool for species identification. A key for the identification of the species of the genus is also presented.

Keywords:

• Cnidaria
• Hydrozoa
• Acryptolaria
• cnidome
• deepwater
• hydroids
• morphometry
• systematics
• taxonomy

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Prof. Dr Wim Vervoort (Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Leiden, The Netherlands) for his invaluable help with the bibliography, Ms Sheila Halsey (BMNH), Dr C. Massin (IRSNB), Ms Ardis B. Johnston (MCZ), Dr S. Stepanjants (ZIRAS), Dr Ole S. Tendal (ZMUC), Dr Bernhard Ruthensteiner (ZSM) and the authorities of the MV for the loan of specimens and, finally, the Secretary Jeremy Smith and Commissioner Otto Kraus of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for their help concerning nomenclatural issues of this paper. This study was supported by a research contract funded by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología and the Universidad de Valencia, Spain (Ramón y Cajal Program) and a research project (CGL2004‐04684/ANT), funded by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia of Spain and the Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional (FEDER). A.C.M. and A.E.M. are supported by FAPESP (2001/02626‐7, 2001/10677‐0, 2004/09961‐4) and by CNPq (471960/2004‐7, 55.7333/2005‐9, 302596/2003‐8, 300194/1994‐3).