The life cycle of Hebella furax (Cnidaria : Hydrozoa): a link between a lafoeid hydroid and a laodiceid medusa

The adult medusa of a species of the hydroid genus Hebella Allman, 1888 (fa mily Lafoeidae), with a metagenetic life cycle, is described for the first time. Hebella furax Millard, 1957 is epizoic on other hydroids and releases medusae with four radial canals and three marginal bulbs with tentacles. A dult medusae cultured in the laboratory attained 11 mm in diameter, had 8-1 1 radial canals, and up to 37 marginal tentacles. Cordyli were present betw een the tentacles, a characteristic feature of the superfamily Laodiceoidea . The pattern of branching of the radial canals indicates that adult medusa e of H. furax should be referred to the genus Toxorchis, possibly to T. kel lneri Mayer, 1910.