Haleciidae

 ( Leptothecata ) 

Haleciidae is a family of . Their hydroid colonies emerge from a creeping hydrorhiza and usually form upright branching colonies, although some species' colonies are . Their gonophores are typically , growing singly or bunched into a glomulus. They remain attached to the hydroids or break off to be passively drifted away; in a few, the gonophores are naked.Schuchert (2005)

Some enigmatic actively swimming medusae have been tentatively placed in this family as a kind of "wastebin taxon". Should their associated hydroids turn out to belong elsewhere, they are to be moved to that family and genus. The relationships of this fairly small but distinctive radiation to other families of Leptothecata are not well understood at present. However, the family Lovenellidae, often turn out to contain the hydroid stage of medusae formerly placed in the family Haleciidae.

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Description The shallow, usually even-rimmed are sessile or borne on a hydrophore; their bottom is formed by a concentric Diaphragm seal, with a row of small knobs distally to it. They are so small in height as to lack an operculum, but are maintained and repaired throughout the individual animal's life. The much exceed the hydrothecae in size and are quite sturdy. Their endoderm consists of a proximal digestive and a distal non-digestive section. The tentacles of some but not all carry webbing between them; likewise, the presence of , and varies throughout this family.

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Genera

Two genera are currently recognized:

• Halecium Oken, 1815
• Nemalecium Bouillon, 1986

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Footnotes

• (2005): The Hydrozoa Directory – Haleciidae. Retrieved 2009-APR-10.

Categories: Leptothecata, Cnidarian Families

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