Pycnotheca mirabilis explained

Pycnotheca mirabilis, The feathery hydroid, is a colonial hydroid in the family Kirchenpaueriidae.[1] Feathery hydroids are often white and grow in crowded colonies resembling upright feathers. The stems may grow to 3 cm in total height. The reproductive bodies are found at the base of the stems and resemble beehives.[2]

This colonial animal is found off the South African coast from False Bay to KwaZulu-Natal, as well as around the Indo-Pacific rim and Vema Seamount. It lives from the subtidal to 50 m under water.[2] This species eats microplankton.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pycnotheca mirabilis (Allman, 1883). 2021-01-18. marinespecies.org.
  2. [Naomi A. H. Millard|Millard, N.A.H.]