Composition, biometry and statistical relationships between the cnidom and body size in the sea anemone Oulactis muscosa (Cnidaria: Actiniaria)

Abstract

This study analyzes the possible relationships between body size and length of cnidae from different tissues of the sea anemone Oulactis muscosa (Drayton in Dana, 1846). We describe the cnidom, providing new qualitatively and quantitative data.Our description adds spirocysts for tentacles and acrorhagi, and is more precise about the ranges and types of basitrichs, microbasic b-mastigophores, and holotrichs. We distinguish two types of holotrichs in the acrorhagi, and differentiate between microbasic b-mastigophores and basitrichs in the actinopharynx and mesenterial filaments. A relationship between cnida length and body weight was not demonstrated. The results are based on a complete account of cnida types from all tissues, and considering the great number of capsules measured (5400) and the modern statistical tools employed, we think that a normal distribution of cnida lengths is uncommon, perhaps refuted. This finding is very important when a quantitative analysis of cnidae is necessary and an adequate statistical tool must be used. We have shown that Generalized Linear Models are an alternative and therefore analyses can be done with parametric methods despite the non-normal distribution of cnida size. The use of these statistical tools should be generalized since appropriate package for analyses (like the R package) are available from the web and the obtained results are robust and powerful.