An Acad Bras Cienc (2021) 93(3): e20191437 DOI 10.1590/0001-3765202120191437 Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências | Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences Printed ISSN 0001-3765 I Online ISSN 1678-2690 www.scielo.br/aabc | www.fb.com/aabcjournal ECOSYSTEMS Teissiera polypofera: first record Running title: FIRST RECORD OF of the genus Teissiera (Hydrozoa: Teissiera polypofera IN ATLANTIC OCEAN Anthoathecata) in the Atlantic Ocean Academy Section: ECOSYSTEMS EVERTON G. TOSETTO, SIGRID NEUMANN-LEITÃO, ARNAUD BERTRAND & MIODELI NOGUEIRA-JÚNIOR e20191437 Abstract: Specimens of Teissiera polypofera Xu, Huang & Chen, 1991 were found in waters off the northeast Brazilian coast between 8.858°S, 34.809°W and 9.005°S, 34.805°W and 93 56 to 717 m depth. The genus can be distinguished from other anthomedusae by the (3) two opposite tentacles with cnidophores and four exumbrellar cnidocyst pouches with 93(3) ocelli. Specimens were assigned to Teissiera polypofera due to the long and narrow manubrium transposing bell opening and polyp buds with medusoid buds on it, issuing DOI from the base of manubrium. This study represents the first record of the genus in the 10.1590/0001-3765202120191437 Atlantic Ocean. Key words: Jellyfish, cnidaria, taxonomy, biodiversity. INTRODUCTION four or none pouches and two, four or none marginal tentacles (Bouillon et al. 2004, 2006). The presence of stinging pedicellate and Distinction between Teissieridae and contractile cnidocysts buttons on marginal Zancleidae was primarily based on morphology tentacles, named cnidophores, is a distinctive of the clearly distinct hydroid stages. The character among Anthoathecata hydromedusae former with polymorphic colony and incrusting (Bouillon et al. 2006). They occur only on three hydrorhiza forming a crust-like stolonal plate and families of the suborder Capitata, Cladocorynidae the later with the hydrorhiza formed by creeping Allman, 1872, Teissieridae Bouillon, 1978 and stolon tubes covered by perisarc (Petersen 1990, Zancleidae Russell, 1953. These families used Boero et al. 1996, Bouillon et al. 2006). Medusae to be included in the extinguished superfamily from both families have an almost identical body Zancleida (along with Porpitidae Goldfuss, 1818). plan and the only recognizable difference is the Another synapomorphy in these three families is ocelli that is present only in Teissieridae (Boero the presence of exumbrellar cnidocyst pouches et al. 1996, Bouillon et al. 2006). This is not an on perradial bulbs (Bouillon 1974, Boero et easy assignment, some Zancleidae species have al. 2000, Bouillon et al. 2006). Cladocorynidae a dark spot on nematocyst pouches base that has two opposite marginal tentacles and may be interpreted as ocellus (Bouillon 1978, exumbrellar pouches only on non-tentaculate Boero et al. 2000). Another problem is the fixation bulbs. Teissieridae also has two opposite of material in formalin, which may lose these marginal tentacles but with pouches in the four small delicate structures (Bouillon 1978). These perradial quadrants. Zancleidae may have either factors have led to known misidentifications and genera changes (Bouillon 1978, Bouillon & An Acad Bras Cienc (2021) 93(3) EVERTON G. TOSETTO et al. FIRST RECORD OF Teissiera polypofera IN ATLANTIC OCEAN Boero 2000, Boero et al. 2000, Xu & Huang 2004, Table I. Teissiera polypofera occurrences off northeast Schuchert 2019). Brazil. The genus Teissiera Bouillon, 1974 used to Number of SST Bottom Location SSS be the unique representative of Teissieridae, specimens (°C) depth (m) presenting characteristics of the family (Bouillon 8.858°S, 4 26.65 36.62 56 et al. 2006). However, the genus Pseudosolanderia 34.809°W Bouillon & Gravier-Bonnet, 1988, which produces 9.005°S, 1 26.76 36.79 717 eumedusoids, were recently included in the 34.805°W taxon (Schuchert 2019). Teissiera was previously SST = sea surface temperature; SSS = sea surface salinity. described as Teissiera milleporoides Bouillon, 1974 from the Indian Ocean (Bouillon 1974). Three with the ethical standards of the Universidade additional species were described from the Federal de Pernambuco. All necessary permits Pacific (Schuchert 2019), where the genus was for sampling and observational field studies exclusively found since then (Bouillon 1978, Xu & have been obtained by the authors from the Huang 2004, Kubota 2006, Kubota & Gravili 2007, competent authority (SISBIO 47270-4). Du et al. 2012). In the present paper, we describe specimens assigned to Teissiera, which were recently found at an oceanographic expedition RESULTS AND DISCUSSION (Bertrand 2015) achieved off Northeast Brazil, Specimens presented a bell-shaped umbrella representing the first reported occurrence of the almost spherical, with the mesoglea thicker genus in Atlantic Ocean waters, and discuss its in the apical region (Figure 1a, b). Umbrella taxonomy and global distribution. height ranged from 0.7 to 1.2 mm and width from 0.5 to 1 mm. All five specimens analyzed MATERIALS AND METHODS presented umbrella margin with two perradial opposite marginal bulbs bearing tentacles with Specimens were obtained during the “Acoustics cnidophores. All preserved specimens had four along the Brazilian coast” survey (ABRACOS 1), oval perradial exumbrellar cnidocyst pouches carried out on October 20015, on board the connected to the ring canal by a slender French R/V ANTEA off Northeast Brazil (Table I). peduncle (Figure 1a, c). A small reddish-brown Samples were collected in oblique hauls, using ocellus was observed in the central portion of a bongo plankton net with 300 µm mesh and 0.6 some cnidocyst pouches (arrow in Figure 1c). m opening, from near bottom to surface over the Manubrium narrow and long, exceeding bell continental shelf, and 200 m depth to surface in opening in larger specimens (Figure 1b). Four open waters. Surface temperature and salinity out of five specimens presented many capitate was observed using a Seabird 911 CTD profiler. polyp buds issuing from the upper portion of Material was fixed with 4% formaldehyde manubrium (Figure 1d, e). Several medusoid buffered with sodium tetraborate (0.5 g.l-1). buds were also observed issuing from these Specimens were deposited in the Museu de hydrants (Figure 1d, e). Invertebrados Paulo Young from Universidade The combination of two opposite tentacles Federal da Paraíba (CIPY1123). All procedures with cnidophores and four exumbrellar cnidocyst performed in this research were in accordance pouches each with an ocellus assigned the An Acad Bras Cienc (2021) 93(3) e20191437 2 | 7 EVERTON G. TOSETTO et al. FIRST RECORD OF Teissiera polypofera IN ATLANTIC OCEAN Figure 1. Teissiera polypofera from Western Atlantic Ocean. (a) Schematic representation of full specimen. b) full view (arrows indicating tentacle bulbs). (c) detail on exumbrellar cnidocyst pouch with red-brown ocelli (indicated by the arrow). (d and e) detail on manubrium and several polyp buds and medusoid buds in it. specimens to the genus Teissiera (Bouillon 1974, and Teissiera australe Bouillon, 1978 do not Bouillon et al. 2006). Even though ocelli were produce buds and have a short manubrium not present in some specimens, which would never reaching the bell margin (Table II, assign them to Zanclea Gegenbaur, 1856, these Bouillon 1974, 1978). Thus, they clearly do not structures may disappear easily due to formalin match with the present specimens. Polypoid fixation through time (Bouillon 1978), and we buds have been observed in the two remaining assumed that was the case herein since most species, Teissiera medusifera Bouillon, 1978 and specimens had ocelli only in some pouches and Teissiera polypofera Xu, Huang & Chen, 1991, those with no ocelli were found in the same both distinguished mainly based on the relative sample. manubrium length; the former with a shorter Teissiera medusae species are mainly manubrium never exceeding bell opening and distinguished based on the position and shape the latter the opposite (Table II, Bouillon 1978, of gonads, length of manubrium and presence Xu & Huang 2004). Therefore, despite small of polypoid or medusoid buds issuing from differences such as the presence of cnidocysts the manubrium (Table II, Bouillon 1978, Xu & in the exumbrella, our specimens match to T. Huang 2004). Although cnidocysts scattered polypofera diagnosis. or in ridges on the exumbrella have also been Geographic distribution of Teissiera species used to distinguish species (e.g. Xu & Huang were until now restricted to the Indian and 2004), these structures are common on newly Western Pacific Ocean, mainly in tropical and released Capitata medusae (Bouillon et al. 2006) subtropical areas (Figure 2). The genus was and were disregarded herein. Currently, four first described from hydroids and its released species were described in Teissiera (Schuchert medusae of T. milleporoides found in the 2019). Teissiera milleporoides Bouillon, 1974 Seychelles islands, Western Indian Ocean An Acad Bras Cienc (2021) 93(3) e20191437 3 | 7 EVERTON G. TOSETTO et al. FIRST RECORD OF Teissiera polypofera IN ATLANTIC OCEAN Table II. Comparison of main characters of the valid medusae species of the genus Teissiera. Height Width Species Umbrella Manubrium Gonads Ocellus Reference (mm) (mm) Narrow and long; Present Bell shaped; exceeding bell specimens of mesoglea thicker opening; with Not Red- 1.2 1 This study Teissiera in the apical polyp buds and observed brown polypofera region medusa buds on it Interradial; Mesoglea thicker Up to 2/3 of Teissiera covering up Bright