Rhysia fletcheri: Race Rocks Taxonomy: Photomicrography of Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss

Rhysia fletcheri is a new species of colonial atheccate hydroid described by Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss from samples collected at Race Rocks and Friday harbour.

Rhysia fletcheri(female polyps above) is a new species of colonial atheccate hydroid described by Dr. Anita Brinckmann-Voss from samples collected at Race Rocks and Friday harbour.

rhysiamale

rhysiafletcheri Rhysia fletcheri male polyps

Rhysia fletcheri differs from Rhysia autumnalis and Rhysia halecii in the gastrozooid having distinctive cnidocyst clusters on its hypostome and few, thick tentacles. Most of its female gonozooids have no tentacles. Colonies of R. fletcheri are without dactylozooids. The majority of R. fletcheri colonies are found growing on large barnacles or among the hydrorhiza of large thecate hydrozoans. Rhysia fletcheri occurs in relatively sheltered waters of the San Juan Islands and on the exposed rocky coast of southern Vancouver Island.

For the  COMPLETE TEXT OF THE PAPER DESCRIBING THIS SPECIES see:BRINCKMANN-VOSS, A., LICKEY, D. M., and MILLS C. E. 1993. Rhysia,fletcheri(Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Rhysiidae), a new species of colonial hydroid from Vancouver Island (British Columbia, Canada) and the San Juan Archipelago (Washington, U.S.A.). Can. J. Zool. 71: 401-406.

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Class Hydrozoa
Subclass Leptolida
Order Anthoathecatae
Family Rhysiidae
Genus Rhysia
Species fletcheri

This file is provided as part of a collaborative effort by Lester B. Pearson College and local scientists. Copyrighted 1999–All Images on this page are the property of: Dr. Anita Brinckmann- Voss..They can not be used or modified without her written permission.

See this link for other hydroids:  https://www.racerocks.ca/tag/hydroid/