''Solanderia'' is the sole

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

hydrozoans Hydrozoa (hydrozoans; ) are a taxonomic class of individually very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most of which inhabit saline water. The colonies of the colonial species can be large, and in some cases the specialize ...

in the

monotypic In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group (taxon) that contains only one immediately subordinate taxon. A monotypic species is one that does not include subspecies or smaller, infraspecific taxa. In the case of genera, the term "unispe ...

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

Solanderiidae. They are commonly known as tree hydroids or sea fan hydroids.

Description

Hydrozoa Rakitu-Island MNP9142 NIWA101027 edited

''Solanderia'' hydroids forms large colonies. They are one of about 1000 species of athecate hydroids, which do not construct a skeletal covering for their polyps (as opposed to the thecate hydroids in the order Leptothecata. The chitinous skeleton is internal, branches, and may form

anastomoses An anastomosis (, plural anastomoses) is a connection or opening between two things (especially cavities or passages) that are normally diverging or branching, such as between blood vessels, leaf veins, or streams. Such a connection may be norm ...

. The skeleton is formed by coalescence and modification of adjacent hydrocauline tubes. The

coenosarc In corals, the coenosarc is the living tissue overlying the stony skeletal material of the coral. It secretes the coenosteum, the layer of skeletal material lying between the corallites (the stony cups in which the polyps sit). The coensarc is comp ...

covers the entire colony and penetrates skeletal interstices. The hydranths cover the whole colony surface and are uniform in structure, cylindrical, with a single whorl of

capitate The capitate bone is a bone in the human wrist found in the center of the carpal bone region, located at the distal end of the radius and ulna bones. It articulates with the third metacarpal bone (the middle finger) and forms the third carpomet ...

tentacles around the mouth. Numerous similar tentacles are scattered over the body. ''Solanderia'' is known from its polyp or hydroid stage, and produces gonophores which release sperm and eggs for reproduction. Where known, the gonophores are cryptomedusoid or eumedusoid, arising directly from the coenosarc.

Ecology

Species of ''Solanderia'' are eaten by

nudibranch Nudibranchs () are a group of soft-bodied marine gastropod molluscs which shed their shells after their larval stage. They are noted for their often extraordinary colours and striking forms, and they have been given colourful nicknames to match, ...

s in the genus '' Hermosita'' and the family Pleurolidiidae.

Species

Hydrozoa Site-12 Houhora-Harbour MNP7182 NIWA101292 edited 0

''Solanderia'' contains the following species:Schuchert, P. (2015)
''Solanderia'' Duchassaing & Michelin, 1846.
In: Schuchert, P. (2015) World Hydrozoa database. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species on 2015-12-17 *'' Solanderia dendritica'' (Fraser, 1938) *'' Solanderia ericopsis'' (Carter, 1873) *'' Solanderia fusca'' (Gray, 1868) *'' Solanderia gracilis'' Duchassaing & Michelin, 1846 *'' Solanderia misakinensis'' (Inaba, 1892) *'' Solanderia procumbens'' (Carter, 1873) *'' Solanderia secunda'' (Inaba, 1892) ;Species brought into synonymy * ''Solanderia atrorubens'' (Gray, 1868): synonym of ''Solanderia fusca'' (Gray, 1868) * ''Solanderia minima'' (Hickson, 1903): synonym of ''Solanderia secunda'' (Inaba, 1892) * ''Solanderia misakiensis'' (Inaba, 1892): synonym of ''Solanderia misakinensis'' (Inaba, 1892) * ''Solanderia rufescens'' Jäderholm, 1896: synonym of ''Solanderia secunda'' (Inaba, 1892)

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q4005785, from2=Q17132282 Solanderiidae Hydrozoan genera Animals described in 1873