Collected: June 2006, <1 km off of Assateague Island, VA. along the bottom at a depth of 10 m using an Epibenthic sled fitted with a plankton net (363 micrometer mesh).

Notes:
This is one of the smallest of the hydromedusae with a bell only about 0.3 mm tall. Two virtually identical forms occur:

Hydractinia mimima with 4 tentacles

H. minuta has 8 tentacles.

Some feel that these two forms may represent different stages of the same species.

Hydractinia was one of the more common medusae caught in this collection.

Click here to see the aboral view.

Collected and photographed by: Bill Johnson, Goucher College.