Identification of the hydroid stage of the medusa Lizzia blondina using 16S DNA barcodes. The hydroid of the medusa Lizzia blondina

The identity of a tiny hydroid asliving in the sponge Haliclona simulans as Lizzia blondina is based on two lines of evidence: i) the direct observation that sponge pieces with the hydroid release Lizzia blondina medusa, and ii) 16S gene sequences obtained from DNA samples made from mixed sponge-hydroid samples were identifiable as either Lizzia blondina or sponge related. These results confirm an earlier hypothesis of Schuchert (2007) postulating that due to the close phylogenetic relationship of Lizzia blondina and Rathkea octopunctata, also their polyp stages will likely be similar.