The sea anemone genus Actinostola (Verrill 1883): Variability and utility of traditional taxonomic features, and a re-description of Actinostola chilensis (McMurrich 1904)

Verena Häussermann*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

Species of the genus Actinostola are known for high variability of features. Anatomy, histology and cnidae of type specimens of five species from South America and Antarctica originally described as members of Actinostola and one species of Stomphia were compared to specimens of Actinostola chilensis collected during this study. None of these traditionally used features clearly distinguish the examined Actinostola species. I therefore propose new distinctive taxonomic features, including in vivo and in situ data. I provide an emended diagnosis of the genus Actinostola and a revised list of its species. I accept the synonymy of A. excelsa, A. pergamentacea and A. intermedia with A. crassicornis, and reject the synonymy of A. chilensis with A. crassicornis and A. intermedia. I re-describe A. chilensis in detail, including in situ information. Specimens of A. chilensis inhabit exposed positions of rocky substrate from 22 m depth down in south Chilean fjords between Puerto Montt (41°35′35″S, 72°53′W) and Puyuhuapi (44°31′36″S; 72°32′6″W); the most conspicuous features are its relatively large size, bright-orange colour, smooth, tough column and numerous and clearly entacmaeic tentacles.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)26-38
Number of pages13
JournalPolar Biology
Volume28
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 2004
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements I am particularly grateful to Günter Försterra for his company and great help with diving and sampling during the field trips, and to Meg Daly for very detailed and constructive comments. Many thanks to Kensuke Yanagi for very helpful remarks. Many thanks also to Björn Sohlenius, Carsten Lüter and Stephen Cairns for the loan of type material, to Karin Riemann for lending a field microscope and to Estefanía Rodriguez for helpful discussions. Thanks go to Gerhard Haszprunar for providing material, space and continuous support; to Carlos Gallardo, Alejandro Bravo, Elena Clasing and Wolfgang Stotz for their friendly support, and to Heide Felske for making available a wonderful map. Many thanks go to the Huinay Foundation for a scholarship for lodging, food and working space in the marine biology station in Comau fjord, and to Rose and Fritz Häusser-mann for their manifold and continued help. This publication is drawn from the doctoral thesis of the author, supported by 2 one-year governmental scholarships ‘‘Förderung des wissenschaftlichen und künstlerischen Nachwuchses’’ and ‘‘Förderung der Promotion von Wissenschaftlerinnen’’ from the LMU Munich, and by a one-year HSP III scholarship from the DAAD. This is publication number 2 of the Huinay Scientific Field Station.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

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