Sertularioidea (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME)

ABSTRACTThis paper describes the study of a small collection of Sertularioidea Lamouroux, 1812 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) collected along the Guinea Current Large Marine Ecosystem (GCLME) during four oceanographic surveys performed between 2005 and 2008. The samples were collected at 12 stations located at depths between 18 and 359 m using a bottom trawl and a Petersen grab. A total of 112 colonies were identified, belonging to 13 species, nine genera, and three families. The family Sertulariidae showed the highest species richness, with 11 species, whereas the families Thyroscyphidae and Sertularellidae were represented only by one species each. In this manuscript is described the first report of Salacia tetracythara in the Eastern Atlantic, Abietinaria abietina in West Africa, and Salacia desmoides in the GCLME region. One species was only described to the genus level, and material of Dynamena dalmasi from Cape Verde was also examined as comparison material.KEYWORDS: North-west AfricaHydroidolinaLeptothecataSertulariidaeSertularellidaeThyroscyphidae AcknowledgementsWe express our gratitude to Professor Endre Willassen, Jon Anders Kongsrud and Katrine Kongshavn of the University Museum of Bergen, for their hospitality and assistance during our pleasant stay in their laboratory, to study the collections of North-west African hydroids. Special thanks go to Dr Ana Ramos for her ongoing support at all stages of this study, and also for her total involvement in benthic research in Africa.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.Additional informationFundingThis study was performed within the framework of the Spanish ECOAFRIK project. This is ECOAFRIK publication number 53.