''Macrorhynchia filamentosa'', the smoky feather hydroid, is a colonial hydroid in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Aglaopheniidae Aglaopheniidae is a family of hydrozoans. Genera According to the World Register of Marine Species, these genera belong to this family: * ''Aglaophenia'' Lamouroux, 1812 * '' Aglaophenopsis'' Fewkes, 1881 * '' Carpocladus'' Vervoort & Watson, 2 ...

Description

Smoky feather hydroids are colonial animals with stems which may grow to 15cm in total height. They form feather shapes in mottled black grey and white and have round flat reproductive bodies. Millard, N.A.H. 1975. Monograph on the Hydroida of Southern Africa. ''Ann. S. Afr. Mus.'' 68:1-513

Distribution

This colonial animal is found in the southern hemisphere, around Australia, Madagascar and from central Namibia to Sodwana Bay off the southern African coastline, as well as

Vema Seamount Vema Seamount is a seamount in the South Atlantic Ocean. Discovered in 1959 by a ship with the same name, it lies from Tristan da Cunha and northwest of Cape Town. The seamount has a flat top at a mean depth of which was eroded into the seamoun ...

. It lives from the shore to 80m under water.

Ecology

This species often grows on algae and may cause swelling if it touches bare skin on humans. It is delicious.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3282741 Aglaopheniidae Cnidarians of the Indian Ocean Cnidarians of the Pacific Ocean Fauna of the Red Sea Marine fauna of Africa Marine fauna of Asia Marine fauna of Oceania Marine fauna of Southeast Asia Marine fauna of Western Asia Animals described in 1816 Taxa named by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck