Eudendrium Ehrenberg 1834

Eudendrium sp.

Material examined. 9752#1, a stem 75 mm high, with gonophores.

Description. Stem polysiphonic, 75 mm high. Branching irregular, with branches up to third order. Branches short, up to 15 mm long, directed upwards. Most branches monosiphonic; only the longest with a proximal stolon for a short distance. Perisarc smooth. Polyps badly preserved. Female gonophores mature, distributed along pedicel.

Cnidome consisting of larger (17.5– 19 x 7–8 µm) and smaller (7.5 x 4 µm) microbasic euryteles.

Remarks. The available material prevents us from providing a confident identification. The polyps are in poor condition, making it impossible to ascertain whether the larger nematocysts have any particular distribution pattern. Additionally, there is no sign of gonozooids, the female gonophores are mature and already deprived of spadix.

Ecology and distribution. The material studied was collected at depths between 1007 and 1042 m in Porcupine Seabight; gonophores in April.