(Chun, 1897)

Description
Anterior nectophore [Dimophyes arctica ]: without lateral ridges. The nectosac often becomes opaque on preservation. The prominent undivided mouth plate is triangular in shape and the large hydroecium extends above the ostial level. The carrot-shaped somatocyst is about two thirds of the height of the nectophore.
Posterior nectophore [D.arctica-postnec/eudox ]: Seldom found and much reduced. The deep hydroecium is bounded by two broad wings. The nectosac opens on to the baso-dorsal surface.
Eudoxid [D.arctica-postnec/eudox ]: the bract is conical with an extensive, thin neck shield. The phyllocyst has apical and lateral horns and a fine basal process, which passes down the neck shield. The gonophore has a very small mouth plate and only traces of a hydroecium.

Size
Anterior nectophore up to 15 mm in height.
Eudoxid up to 10 mm in height.

Depth range
Occurring mainly at depths of 200-600 m or below 900 m.

Distribution in the North Sea
Northern North Sea.

World distribution
Dimophyes arctica has a widespread distribution with a slight prevalence for colder waters.

[After Kirkpatrick and Pugh, 1984]

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Superclass Hydrozoa
Class Siphonophora
Order Calycophorae
Family Diphyidae
Subfamily Diphyinae
Genus Dimophyes
Species Dimophyes arctica

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Dimophyes arctica (Chun, 1897)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Diphyes arctica | Chun, 1897
Dimophyes arctica | Moser, 1925

Fraser, J.H., 1950. List of rare exotic species found in the plankton by the Scottish research vessels in 1949. Annales Biologiques, Vol. VI: 95-99. Conseil Permanent pour l'Exploration de la Mer, Kopenhagen.

Kirkpatrick, P.A. and P.R. Pugh, 1984. Siphonophores and Velellids. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), No. 29. Brill/Backhuys, London.

Totton, A.K. and J.H. Fraser, 1956a. Siphonophora. Suborder: Calycophorae. Family: Diphidae. Genus: Lensia. Fiches d'Identification du Zooplancton, 55 (1955). Conseil International pour l'Exploration de la Mer, Kopenhagen.

Totton, A.K., 1965. A synopsis of the Siphonophora. British Museum (Natural History). London, 230 pp, 153 figs, 40 pls.

For further info about Dimophyes arctica, you can also look up this species under:

You can continue searching for Dimophyes arctica on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

Google | Yahoo | MSN | Wikipedia