The rediscovery of Codonorchis octaedrus (Hydroidomedusae, Anthomedusae, Pandeidae), with an update of the Mediterranean hydroidomedusan biodiversity

Codonorchis octaedrus is recorded for the first time since its discovery by Haeckel in 1879. A hydroid colony collected in a cave of the Apulian Coast (between the Ionian and the Adriatic Seas) produced several medusae which have been reared to maturity. This is the first complete description of the species, which was previously considered as doubtful, as was the genus Codonorchis. The diagnostic features for the genus are: hydroid small, naked, sessile, with a single row of few tentacles, gonophores on hydrorhiza, medusa with apical projection with apical process from the manubrium, perradial, interradial and adradial ocellate bulbs, two perradial tentacles, horseshoe-shaped interradial gonads, small mesenteries. The list of Mediterranean hydroidomedusae is updated with the new (or overlooked) records since the last published list (1993). The increase in species number is great (about 10%), showing that the knowledge of biodiversity of even a well-studied sea as the Mediterranean is far from being complete.SCOPUS: ar.j