(Bigelow, 1911)

Description
Anterior nectophore [Lensia fowleri ]: with five complete ridges. The globular somatocyst lies below the ostial level, within an extensive mouth plate.
Posterior nectophore [L.fowleri-postnect ]: delicate; the hydroecium is delimited by two triangular-shaped wings. The small, rounded mouth plate is undivided.
Eudoxid [L.fowleri-bract ]: the eudoxid bract is elongated and rounded apically with a wide neck shield which bears a marginal notch. The phyllocyst is small and globular. The gonophore apparently has no mouthplate.

Size
Anterior nectophore up to 20 mm in height.
Posterior nectophore smaller and more delicate than anterior nectophore.
Eudoxid bract elongated and up to 4.5 mm in height.

Depth range
Surface to 250 m.

Remarks
The gonophores of all Lensia species are difficult to identify on species level and will not be described.

Distribution in the North Sea
Possibly northern North Sea; Lensia fowleri is known up to the NW of Scotland.

World distribution
Lensia fowleria is distributed widely in the Atlantic, up to 61° N, and other oceans, occurs also in the Mediterranean.

[After Kirkpatrick and Pugh, 1984]

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

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Lensia fowleri (Bigelow, 1911)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Diphyes fowleri | Bigelow, 1911

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, 1956b. Siphonophora. Suborder: Calycophorae. Family: Diphidae. Genera: Dimophyes, Muggiaea, Sulculeolaria, Chelophyes, Eudoxoides. Fiches d'Identification du Zooplancton, 56 (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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