Census of Cnidaria (Medusozoa) and Ctenophora from South American marine waters

Abstract

We have compiled available records in the literature for medusozoan cnidarians and ctenophores of South America. New records of species are also included. Each entry (i.e., identified species or still as yet not determined species referred to as "sp." in the literature) includes a synonymy list for South America, taxonomical remarks, notes on habit, and information on geographical occurrence. We have listed 800 unique determined species, in 958 morphotype entries: 5 cubozoans, 905 hydrozoans, 25 scyphozoans, 3 staurozoans, and 20 ctenophores. Concerning nomenclatural and taxonomical decisions, two authors of this census (Miranda, T.P. & Marques, A.C.) propose Podocoryna quitus as a nomen novum for the junior homonym Hydractinia reticulata (Fraser, 1938a); Euphysa monotentaculata Zamponi, 1983b as a new junior synonym of Euphysa aurata Forbes, 1848; and Plumularia spiralis Milstein, 1976 as a new junior synonym of Plumularia setacea (Linnaeus, 1758). Finally, we also reassign Plumularia oligopyxis Kirchenpauer, 1876 as Kirchenpaueria oligopyxis (Kirchenpauer, 1876) and Sertularella margaritacea Allman, 1885 as Symplectoscyphus margaritaceus (Allman, 1885).

New records of Pegantha spp. (Hydrozoa: Narcomedusae) off Northern Brazil

“…3). Recently, Oliveira et al (2016) considered this medusa as integrating the Brazilian fauna based on Kramp's (1957) record at 31.27°S, 29.94°W (number 4 in Fig. 3).…”

“…4). Although there were some previous records of this species on Brazilian waters (Ranson, 1949;Kramp, 1959b), these occurrences were overlooked in a recent review (Oliveira et al, 2016), perhaps because they were reported only as "Atlantic" or "Equatorial Atlantic". Thus, this study highlights the presence of P. triloba in oceanic waters offshore northern Brazilian coast.…”

“…The waters off the northern Brazilian coast are amongst the least studied regarding zooplankton in general (Lopes, 2007) and medusae in particular (Oliveira et al, 2016), leaving a gap in the understanding of spe- Figure 4. Global distribution of the narcomedusa Pegantha triloba based on this study and literature records.…”

“…Bigelow, 1909 was recorded off Argentina and in oceanic waters > 1,300 km offshore the Brazilian coast (Kramp, 1957;Genzano et al, 2008). Pegantha triloba Haeckel, 1879 was recorded at Fernando de Noronha archipelago (Vanhöffen, 1913) and offshore North of Brazil (Ranson, 1949;Kramp, 1959b), but its occurrence has been overlooked by Oliveira et al (2016) in the census of Cnidaria from South America, and thus its distribution became uncertain. Hydromedusae are important predators in marine zooplankton and information on its distribution is essential for understanding species diversity, biogeographic patterns and marine ecosystem functioning.…”

Update on Benthic Scyphozoans from the Brazilian Coast (Cnidaria: Scyphozoa: Coronatae)

“…Stephanoscyphistoma simplex (Kirkpatrick, 1890) (Goy, 1979;Silveira & Morandini, 1997;Morandini, 2003;Oliveira et al, 2016). In addition, four more polyp forms occur in the Brazilian coast, but only identified to the generic level as Nausithoe sp.…”