Researchers from the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University (XMU) studied nearly 100 specimens of deep-sea benthic hydroids (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) collected from the South China Sea (SCS), Japan, Portugal, and Antarctica, and found three new Zygophylax (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Macrocolonia: Zygophylacidae) species, one of which was Zygophylax tankahkeei. The findings were recently published on Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society.
Zygophylax tankahkeei Gu & Song sp. nov. A, two colonies; C–J, hydrothecae; K, L, the same nematotheca at different magnifications (arrows); M, coppinia; N, gonothecae (arrow) with repeatedly, dichotomously branched defensive tubes; O, P, isolated gonothecae. Scale bars: A = 5 mm; B, F, K, N = 500 μm; C, M, O = 1 mm; D, I, P = 200 μm; E, G, H, J, L = 100 μm. (Photo: Xikun Song)
The new species Zygophylax tankahkeei was named by Zhangjie Gu and Xikun Song of XMU, the first author and the corresponding author of the article. The specific name honours the founder of XMU, Tan Kah Kee, as well as the research vessel Tan Kah Kee (R/V TKK), and in memory of the centenary celebration of the marine and biology disciplines at XMU. In retrospect, a new species of scyphomedusan jellyfish in Chinese waters was named as Acromitus tankahkeei Light, 1924, by Professor Sol Felty Light memorizing Tan (Yuan and Li, 2021). In one way, it seems to echo the alternating life cycle of most hydrozoans and scyphozoans, which include a benthic sessile polyp stage (Zygophylax tankahkeei), and a free-swimming jellyfish stage (Acromitus tankahkeei).
Dr. Song mentioned that the type specimens of Z. tankahkeei were collected by bottom dredging at 2,359 meters in the SCS, during the 2018 “XMU at Sea” Undergraduate Training Cruise (KK1805 cruise) conducted onboard R/V TKK in July 2018.
Undergraduates were conducting bottom dredging on R/V TKK during the KK1805 cruise.
Rui Zhang (Left in the above photo), a co-author of the article, graduated from the College of Ocean and Earth Sciences (XMU) in 2019. (Photo: Xikun Song)
The training cruise for undergraduates on R/V TKK, or the “XMU at Sea” program, originating in 2018, was designed to train top-talent undergraduates with global vision and science-based insights. As part of the “XMU at Sea” program this summer, nearly 70 bright young minds from XMU, Peking University, Nanjing University, Northwest University, Ocean University of China, and other universities nationwide will have the opportunities to conduct scientific research at sea alongside scientists as their mentors and gain unique hands-on experiences in marine sciences aboard R/V TKK during the 2022 “XMU at Sea” Undergraduate Training Cruise.
Since R/V TKK first hit the water in 2017, thirty-five scientific expeditions have been accomplished onboard. Great concerted efforts have been made to keep the ship evolving to remain state-of-the-art, and continue to incorporate new technologies, and provide the best possible opportunities for scientists and students to garner new insights into the unknown and unexplored oceans.
Moving forward, R/V TKK will continue the commitment of implementing ocean exploration and research while enhancing its deep-sea investigating and sampling capabilities, and the educational mission to train the next generation of oceanographers.
References:
1. Yuan D, Li Y (2021) Set sail and ask the sea: the early marine discipline of Xiamen University (1921-1952). Xiamen University Press
2. Gu Z, Ruthensteiner B, Moura CJ, Liu L, Zhang R, Song X (2022) Systematic affinities of Zygophylacidae (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa: Macrocolonia) with descriptions of 15 deep-sea species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac036
3. Light S F (1924) A new species of scyphomedusan jellyfish in Chinese waters. The China Journal of Science and Arts. 2: 449-451.
Revised by: Xikun Song
Translated by: Qiuling Liu
