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Some Notes on the Morphology of an Aberrant Actinian (Hexacorallia, Actiniaria) Associated with the Glaucothoe of the Hermit Crab Paguropsis typica Henderson (Anomura, Paguridae)
Author(s) -
SCHÄFER WOLFGANG,
HØEG JENS T.,
LÜTZEN JØRGEN
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
zoologica scripta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.204
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1463-6409
pISSN - 0300-3256
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6409.1983.tb00506.x
Subject(s) - hermit crab , biology , tentacle (botany) , anomura , anatomy , aurelia aurita , morphology (biology) , zoology , sea anemone , jellyfish , ecology , crustacean , decapoda
The planktonic glaucothoe of the Indo‐West Pacific hermit crab Paguropsis typica Henderson has an aberrant anthozoan polyp, identified as a nynanthean actinian, attached to the underside of its thorax. The morphology of the anemone is described. The scapus is dumb‐bell shaped and exhibits a slit‐like mouth opening oriented transverse to the animal's siphonoglyphal plane. The gonads are very well developed, whereas tentacle‐like structures or retractor muscles of certain septa are reduced. In the adult stage, Paguropsis typica is associated with the zoanthidean Epizoanthus paguropsides . It is assumed that the actinian is lost at the ecdysis leading to the first “hermit stage” and that P. typica might possibly seize a free Epizoanthus colony and adapt it to its body.