Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genus Distichopora (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa): from primary cyclosystem to adult pore organisation

  • Report
  • Published:
Coral Reefs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This investigation provides the first detailed description of the growth stages of two Distichopora species showing the formation of a primary cyclosystem and explaining the growth process leading from primary cyclosystem to adult pore organisation. The earliest observed stage is an oval calcareous disc from which, at a later stage, a primary cyclosystem raises up. Then, the addition of new gastropores and dactylopores leads to the pore rows typical of the genus. Using X-ray computed microtomography, we are able to visualise the dense canal network that permeates the coenosteum and envelops the gastropores and the dactylopores in all the observed growth stages. In both species, the thin canals surrounding the gastropores are responsible for the formation of the new gastropores that originate between the old ones, while the thin canals placed on the external side of the dactylopore rows produce the new dactylopores.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

References

  • Bavestrello G, Cerrano C (1992) Aggregate colonies in Eudendrium glomeratum Picard 1952 (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Anthomedusae). Sci Mar 56:333–335

  • Boschma H (1959) Revision of the Indo-Pacific species of the genus Distichopora. Bijdr Dierkd 29:121–171

    Google Scholar 

  • Bouillon J, Gravili C, Pagès F, Gili JM, Boero F (2006) An introduction to Hydrozoa. Mémoir Mus Natl Hist Nat 194:1–591

    Google Scholar 

  • Broch H (1942) Investigations on Stylasteridae (Hydrocorals). Skr Norske Vidensk Akad I Math-Naturw Klasse 3:1–113

    Google Scholar 

  • Broch H (1951) Stylasteridae (Hydrocorals) from the Southern Seas. Disc Rep 26:33–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Brun F, Mancini L, Kasae P, Favretto S, Dreossi D, Tromba G (2010) Pore3D: A software library for quantitative analysis of porous media. Nucl Instrum Meth A 615:326–332

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cairns SD (1983) A generic revision of the Stylasterina (Coelenterata: Hydrozoa). Part 1. Description of the genera. Bull Mar Sci 33:427–508

    Google Scholar 

  • Cairns SD (2011) Global diversity of the Stylasteridae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Athecatae). PLoS ONE 6(7):e21670. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021670

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Blainville HMD (1830) Zoophytes. Dict Sci Nat 60:1–546

    Google Scholar 

  • de Pourtalès LF (1868) Contributions to the fauna of the Gulf Stream at great depths. Bull Mus Comp Zool Harvard Univ 1:121–142

    Google Scholar 

  • Eguchi M (1968) The hydrocorals and scleractinian corals of Sagami Bay. Maruzen Co., Ltd., Tokyo

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg CG (1834) Beiträge zur physiologischen Kenntniss der Corallenthiere im allgemeinen, und besonders des. Rothen Meeres, nebst einem Versuche zur physiologischen Systematik derselben. Phys Math Abh Kön Akad Wiss Berl 1832: 225–380

    Google Scholar 

  • England HM (1926) Development of gonophores of the Stylasteridae. Proc Zool Soc Lond 99:265–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher WK (1938) Hydrocorals of the North Pacific Ocean. Proc U S Natl Mus 84:493–554

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fritchman HK (1974) The planula of the stylasterine hydrocoral Allopora petrograpta Fisher: its structure, metamorphosis and development of the primary cyclosystem. Proc 2nd Int Coral Reef Symp 2:245–258

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray JE (1831) Description of a new genus (Stylaster) of star-bearing corals. Zool Miscell :36–37. London.

  • Gray JE (1835) Characters of two new genera of corals, Errina and Anthophora. Proc Zool Soc Lond 1835:85–86

    Google Scholar 

  • Gray JE (1872) Notes on corals from the South and Antarctic Seas. Proc Zool Soc Lond 1872:744–747

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickson SJ (1890) On the maturation of the ovum and the early stages in the development of Allopora. Q J Microsc Sci 30:579–598

    Google Scholar 

  • Hickson SJ (1912) On the Hydrocorallinae genus Errina. Proc Zool Soc Lond 82:876–896

    Google Scholar 

  • Miller KJ, Mundy CN, Chadderton WL (2004) Ecological and genetic evidence of the vulnerability of shallow-water populations of the stylasterid hydrocoral Errina novaezelandiae in New Zealand’s fiords. Aquatic Conserv: Mar Freshw Ecosyst 14:75–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Milne Edwards H, Haime J (1849) Mémoire sur les polypiers appartenant à la famille des Oculinides, au groupe intermédiaire des Pseudoastréidcs et à la famille des Fongides. CR Seances Soc Biol Paris 29:67–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Moseley HN (1879) On the structure of the Stylasteridae, a family of the hydroid stony corals. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 169:425–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Moseley HN (1881) Report on certain Hydroid, Alcyonarian and Madreporarian corals procured during the voyage of H.M.S. Challenger in the years 1873–1876. Part 1. On the Hydrocorallinae. Rep Scient Res Voyage Challenger Zool 2: 1–101, 209–230

  • Ostarello GL (1973) Natural history of the hydrocoral Allopora californica Verrill (1866). Biol Bull (Woods Hole) 145:548–564

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ostarello GL (1976) Larval dispersal in the subtidal hydrocoral Allopora californica Verrill (1866). In: Mackie GO (ed) Coelenterate ecology and behavior. Plenum Press, New York, pp 331–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Pallas PS (1766) Elenchus Zoophytorum sistens generum adumbrations generaliores et specierum cognitarum succinctas descriptions cum selectis auctorum synonymis. Hagae-Comitum

  • Puce S, Bo M, Di Camillo CG, Paoli L, Pica D, Bavestrello G (2010) Morphology and development of the early growth stages of an Indonesian Stylaster (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa). J Mar Biol Assoc UK 90:1145–1151

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Puce S, Pica D, Mancini L, Brun F, Peverelli A, Bavestrello G (2011) Three-dimensional analysis of the canal network of an Indonesian Stylaster (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Stylasteridae) by means of X-ray computed microtomography. Zoomorphology 130:85–95

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruiz-Zárate MA, Arias-González JE (2005) Recruitment of Acropora, Millepora and Stylaster roseus on an experimental substratum. Coral Reefs 24:56

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheer G, Obrist K (1986) Distichopora nitida Verrill (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) from the Maldives, a new record from the Indian Ocean. Coral Reefs 5:151–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sommer C (1992) Larval biology and dispersal of Eudendrium racemosum (Hydrozoa, Eudendridee). Sci Mar 56:205–211

  • Stechow E (1921) Neue Gruppen skelettbildender Hydrozoen und Verwandtschaftsbeziehungen rezenter und fossiler Formen. Verh dt Zool Ges 26:29–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Verrill AE (1864) List of the polyps and corals sent by the Museum of Comparative Zoology to other institutions in exchange with annotations. Bull Mus Comp Zool Harv Univ 1:29–60

    Google Scholar 

  • Verrill AE (1866) Synopsis of the polyps and corals of the North Pacific Exploring Expedition under Commodore C. Ringgold and Captain John Rodgers, U.S.N., from 1853 to 1856; collected by Wm. Stimpson, naturalist to the expedition; with descriptions of some additional new species from the west coast of North America. Part 3: Madreporaria. Commun Essex Inst 5:17–50

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasserthal LT, Wasserthal W (1973) Ökologische Bedeutung der Schleimsekretion bei den Planula-larven der Hydroidengattung Eudendrium. Mar Biol 22:341–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wisshak M, Correa ML, Zibrowius H, Jakobsen J, Freiwald A (2009) Skeletal reorganisation affects geochemical signals, exemplified in the stylasterid hydrocoral Errina dabneyi (Azores Archipelago). Mar Ecol Prog Ser 397:197–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was financially supported by Ministero degli Affari Esteri (Grande Rilevanza). We are indebted with CITES Authority, Italy, which provided part of the studied material. The Museo Nazionale dell’Antartide Felice Ippolito provided the Antarctic specimens mentioned in the discussion.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. DiSVA, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Via Brecce Bianche, 60131, Ancona, Italy

    S. Puce & D. Pica

  2. Sincrotrone Trieste S.C.p.A., S.S. 14 km 163.5 in AREA Science Park, 34149, Basovizza, Trieste, Italy

    F. Brun & L. Mancini

  3. Dipartimento di Ingegneria Industriale e dell’Informazione, Università di Trieste, Via A. Valerio 10, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    F. Brun

  4. DipTeRis, Università di Genova, Corso Europa 26, 16132, Genova, Italy

    G. Bavestrello

Authors
  1. S. Puce
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. Pica
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Brun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. L. Mancini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. G. Bavestrello
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Puce.

Additional information

Communicated by Geology Editor Dr. Bernhard Riegl

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Puce, S., Pica, D., Brun, F. et al. Genus Distichopora (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa): from primary cyclosystem to adult pore organisation. Coral Reefs 31, 715–730 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-012-0885-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-012-0885-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation