Anthoathecata, or the athecate hydroids, are an
order of
hydrozoans
Hydrozoa (hydrozoans; ) are a taxonomic class of individually very small, predatory animals, some solitary and some colonial, most of which inhabit saline water. The colonies of the colonial species can be large, and in some cases the specialize ...
belonging to the
phylum Cnidaria
Cnidaria () is a phylum under kingdom Animalia containing over 11,000 species of aquatic animals found both in freshwater and marine environments, predominantly the latter.
Their distinguishing feature is cnidocytes, specialized cells that ...
. A profusion of alternate
scientific names exists for this long-known, heavily discussed, and spectacular group. It has also been called Gymnoblastea and (with or without an emended ending ''-ae''), Anthomedusa, Athecata, Hydromedusa, and Stylasterina. There are about 1,200
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
worldwide.
[Schuchert, P. (2014). Anthoathecata. Accessed through: Schuchert, P. (2014) World Hydrozoa database at http://www.marinespecies.org/hydrozoa/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=13551 on 2014-10-31]
These hydrozoans always have a
polyp stage. Their
hydranth
{{Short pages monitor, Orthocorynidae)
References
Bibliography
* Buecher, E., Goy, J. & Gibbons, M.J. 2005. Hydromedusae of the Agulhas Current. ''
African Invertebrates
''African Invertebrates'' is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal that covers the taxonomy, systematics, biogeography, ecology, conservation, and palaeontology of Afrotropical invertebrates, whether terrestrial, freshwater, or ma ...
'' 46: 27-6
External links
North East Atlantic TaxaFamily, genus and species list
{{Taxonbar, from1=Q14556976, from2=Q2344380
Hydroidolina
Cnidarian orders