(Quoy and Gaimard, 1833)

Description
Anterior nectophore [Bassia bassensis ]: polyhedral. The nectosac extends above the main body of the somatocyst. The hydroecium does not extend up between the nectosac and somatocyst, this latter being large, globular and without an apical diverticulum.
Posterior nectophore [B.bassensis-postnect ]: rectangular, with 4 main ridges which end in short basal teeth. A replacement posterior nectophore may be developed if the original is lost.
Eudoxid [B.bassensis-eudox ]: the bract has a quadrilateral dorsal facet. The phyllocyst is a long tube, swollen apically and without lateral processes. Gonophore has 4 longitudinal ridges which end basally in minute teeth.

Colour
A bluish tinge to the ridges of both the nectophores and the eudoxids.

Sizes
Anterior nectophore up to 7 mm in height.
Posterior nectophore up to 15 mm in length.
Eudoxid bract is up to 8 mm in height.

Depth range
Occurring in the warmer, shallow waters, 0-100 m.

Distribution in the North Sea
Possibly northern North Sea; there are several records off North and North West Scotland.

World distribution
Bassia bassensis is common species of warmer waters of the Atlantic and other oceans. Numbers decline rapidly north of 42-45°N.

[After Kirkpatrick and Pugh, 1984]

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Cnidaria
Superclass Hydrozoa
Class Siphonophora
Order Calycophorae
Family Abylidae
Subfamily Abylopsinae
Genus Bassia
Species Bassia bassensis

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Bassia bassensis Quoy & Gaimard, 1827

Scientific synonyms and common names

See Bigelow, 1911 for synonymy.

Bigelow, H.B, 1911. The Siphonophorae. Reports of the scientific research expedition to the tropical Pacific "Albatross" XXIII. Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harv., 38(2): 173-402.

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, 1956f. Siphonophora. Suborder: Physonectae. Family: Agalmidae. Fiches d'Identification du Zooplancton, 60 (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.

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