Suborder Proboscoidea Broch, 1910

Diagnosis

Hydranths with a spherical to trumpet-shaped hypostome, forming a pregastric cavity. Medusa with closed statocysts; never posessing cordyli, cirri or ocelli.

Higher classification

Metazoa, Cnidaria, Medusozoa, Hydrozoa, Leptothecata

References

Bouillon, J. 1985. Essai de classification des hydropolypes-hydroméduses (Hydrozoa-Cnidaria). Indo Malayan Zoology 2: 29-243.

Bouillon, J., & Boero, F. 2000b. Synopsis of the families and genera of the Hydromedusae of the world, with a list of the worldwide species. Thalassia Salentina 24: 47-296.

Cornelius, P. F. S. 1995b. North-west European thecate hydroids and their medusae. Part 2. Sertulariidae to Campanulariidae. Synopses of the British Fauna New Series 50: 1-386.

Millard, N. A. H. 1975. Monograph on the Hydroida of southern Africa. Annals of the South African Museum 68: 1-513.

Classification

Family Bonneviellidae

Hydroid colony stolonal or erect, rect ones often polysiphonic; hydrothecae very large, bell-shaped, borne on smooth or segmented pedicels, without diaphragm; hydranth with conical hypostome, base of tentacles projecting into gastric cavity, fused together and forming a ring that separates the pregastric cavity; gonophores as fixed sporosacs, gonothecae bottle-shaped with annular or longitudinal ribs, sometimes arranged in groups resembling coppinia.

Family Campanulariidae

Hydroid colony stolonal or erect, branching; hydrothecae bell- or cup-shaped, radially symmetrical, sometimes secondarily bilateral symmetric, pedicellate, with basal diaphragm or inward annular thickening of perisarc; hydranth generally tubular, with flared or globose hypostome with a pregastric cavity; gonophores in gonothecae, developing into free medusae, eumedusoids or sporosacs, Medusa with short manubrium, no gastric peduncle, four radial canals (exceptionally more); with or without velum (Obelia); gonads surrounding radial canals, separated from manubrium; with or without rudimentary bulbs; no cirri, excretory papillae or pores; eight and more closed statocysts; no ocelli.

Family Phialuciidae

Hydroid colony stolonal; hydrotheca cup-shaped, radially symmetrical, no diaphragm, pedicel long, not annulated; hydranth with spherical hypostome. Medusa with small manubrium; no peduncle; four simple radial canals; gonads on radial canals, completely surrounding them, separated from manubrium; more than four marginal tentacles, hollow; between tentacles nmany small, conical rudimentary bulbs; with closed statocysts.