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Grey fan hydroid

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Family
  
Solanderiidae

Phylum
  
Cnidaria

Order
  
Anthomedusae

Class
  
Hydrozoa

Genus
  
Solanderia

Rank
  
Species

Grey fan hydroid

The grey fan hydroid, Solanderia procumbens, is a large colonial hydroid in the family Solanderiidae.

Contents

Description

The grey fan hydroid grows as a grey to dark brown fan-shaped colony that may be 40cm in total height. It has variable branching in a single plane. The main stem of old colonies can be quite thick and flattened in the plane of branching. Smaller branches are round in section. Hydranths are scattered irregularly on the stem and branches.

Distribution

This colonial animal is found only around the South African coast from the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula to KwaZulu-Natal in 10-130m under water.

Ecology

Gonophores (reproductive structures) are irregularly spaced on the branches and are rounded with short stalks.

References

Grey fan hydroid Wikipedia