Staurocladia haswelli

New hydranths spindle-shaped, arising about 1 mm apart from a reptant stolon about 0.15 mm diameter; juvenile hydranth with three capitate tentacles increasing to four or five after seven to 10 days, mature hydranth at that stage about 1.5 mm long with a clavate hypostome;

Medusa buds appear as bulges on lower body and stolons. Medusa small, with four groups of bifurcate tentacles, each with an ocellum at base. As buds grow, tentacles lengthen with one bifurcation longer than the other. Medusae released after four to five days, creeping on substrate. At this stage the aboral tentacles shorter, each bearing five nematocyst pads - a large terminal pad, two closely adjacent pads a short distance down the tentacle, a smaller pad, almost opposite, and one small pad opposite the bifurcation. The lower, longer (oral) tentacles without nematocysts, but with a bluntly pointed end.

Southern Australia (New South Wales and Victoria)

Subtidal, epiphytic on coralline algae.