The most distinctive feature possessed by this uncommon hydromedusa are the deep red color of the central gonads, stomach and mouth lips.  The bell is transparent, with a diameter up to 3 cm.  The mouth has 4 large ruffled lips.  Gonads lie in folds on the stomach wall and attach to the 4 radial canals.  Up to 40 tentacles line the bell margin, with 1 to 3 spindle-like structures between each tentacle.  Hydroids of Modeeria are known to live on other hydroid species to depths of 500 meters.  The medusae have been collected in deep-water habitats of the North Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Pacific Ocean, and off Antarctica.  In southern California it has been collected in the San Clemente Basin.  

All photographs © David Wrobel and may not be used or copied without permission!

[ Aegina ] [ Aequorea ] [ Aglauropsis ] [ Amphinema ] [ Annatiara ] [ Catablema ] [ Aglantha ] [ Benthocodon ] [ Cladonema ] [ Clytia ] [ Colobonema ] [ Craspedacusta ] [ Crossota ] [ Euphysa ] [ Gonionemus ] [ Foersteria ] [ Eutonina ] [ Geryonia ] [ Halicreas ] [ Leuckartiara ] [ Haliscera ] [ Liriope ] [ Maeotias ] [ Melicertum ] [ Mitrocoma ] [ Modeeria ] [ Neoturris ] [ Pantachogon ] [ Pegantha ] [ Polyorchis ] [ Ptychogastria ] [ Ptychogena ] [ Sarsia ] [ Scrippsia ] [ Solmaris ] [ Stomotoca ] [ Vallentinia ] [ Velella ]