First record of the genus Candelabrum (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Athecata) from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: a description of a new species and a review of the genus

Two species of Candelabrum (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Athecata) have been discovered and collected at two hydrothermal areas of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge with French and American submersibles during five cruises in 1988, 1993 and 1994. The first, Candelabrum serpentarii nov. sp., has been found at the Snake Pit site (23° N, 3 500 m depth) and represents an undescribed species. The second, Candelabrum phrygium (Fabricius, 1780), collected at the Lucky Strike site (37° N, 1 700 m depth), is known to have a circumarctic distribution. In spite of great differences in depth of occurrence, considerable morphological similarities exist between the new species and the intertidal species C. cocksii (Vigurs, 1849). This discovery has given rise to a review of the genus Candelabrum. In addition, ecological remarks on these three species are presented.