Tima bairdi

Tima bairdi (Johnston, 1833)

Dianaea bairdii: Johnston 1833: 320, fig. 41.

Tima bairdi: Russell 1953: 380, figs 246–249; Kramp 1959 a: 164, fig. 228; 1961: 202.

Description: Three immature specimens from three stations. Dome-shaped, hemispherical umbrella, slightly taller than broad, without apical projection; up to 7.5 mm in diameter. Exumbrella surface smooth. Mesoglea thick. Velum narrow. Peripheral canal and four radial canals present; radial canals narrow, with smooth margin, unbranched, extending from umbrella margin across underside of bell and along gastric peduncle to manubrium; without centripetal canals. With up to 16 tentacles connected to peripheral canal, arising from slightly swollen bulbs on umbrella margin. Tentacles long, hollow, unbranched, filiform. With up to 200 small, atentaculate marginal swellings or warts (approx. 12 between each tentacle). All tentacle bulbs and warts with neither excretory papillae nor excretory pores; lateral cirri absent; tentacle bulbs with an adaxial spur. Manubrium short, flask-shaped, not connected to radial canals by mesenteries. Mouth simple, quadrate, with four large crenulated lips. Gastric peduncle very pronounced, thick, with a broad base, tapering distally, as long as umbrella width. Statocysts closed, numerous. Without ocelli. With four gonads, linear, extending from gastric peduncle along subumbrella surface of radial canals.

Material examined: H5059.

Comments: Four species are considered by Bouillon and Boero (2000 b) to be valid. These can be separated readily by examination of the number of tentacles and marginal warts.

Distribution: Scattered in temperate waters of north-west Atlantic Ocean and tropical Indo-West Pacific Ocean (van der Spoel & Bleeker 1988). This is the first record from the Indian Ocean. Neritic.