WoRMS taxon details
From editor or global species database
Diagnosis Like Hydractinia, but gonozooids completely or nearly so reduced, sporosacs appearing to arise in clusters from stolons. Hydrorhiza encrusting, with spines. [details]
Status The validity of Oorhiza is unclear and needs reassement of the type species O. borealis using sequence information. Broch (1914: 45) regarded it as synonym of Hydractinia. The origin of the gonophores from the hydrorhiza suggests a relationship with the Cytaeidae (Schuchert, 2008), but the encrusting hydrorhiza and above all the presence of spines argue in favour of Hydractiniidae.
The name was first proposed by Mereschowsky (1877), but this was not valid as a genus without a species name was proposed. [details]
From editor or global species database
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