Rhynchozoon brasiliensis Almeida, Souza, Menegola & Vieira, 2017

Almeida, Ana C. S., Souza, Facelucia B. C., Farias, Jamile, Alves, Orane F. S. & Vieira, Leandro M., 2018, Bryozoa on disarticulated bivalve shells from Todos os Santos Bay, northeastern Brazil, with the description of two new species, Zootaxa 4434 (3), pp. 401-428 : 418

Rhynchozoon brasiliensis Almeida, Souza, Menegola & Vieira, 2017

( Fig. 8C–F ; Table 10)

Rhynchozoon SP. 2: ALMEIDA et al. 2015A: P. 5.

Rhynchozoon brasiliensis ALMEIDA, SOUZA, MENEgOLA & VIEIRA, 2017 : P. 312, fIgS 84–89 (CUM SYN.).

Material examined. UFBA 1620, UFBA 1623, UFBA 1625, UFBA 1644, UFBA 1647, UFBA 1651, UFBA 1653, UFBA 1657, UFBA 1658, UFBA 1662, UFBA 3357–3387, on valves of Pinctada imbricata . UFBA 1633, on valves of Plicatula gibbosa .

Description. Colony encrusting ( Fig. 8C ), uni- to multilaminar. Zooids polygonal, separated by slightly raised lateral walls. Frontal wall smooth, with small rounded nodules and 10–16 large marginal pores. Primary orifice ( Fig. 8D ) small relative to zooidal length, commonly obscured by secondary orifice; distal edge with 10–20 rounded denticles; proximal edge with a broadly V-shaped sinus; condyles small, triangular, located at proximal corners of orifice; no oral spines. Secondary orifice well developed, formed by tubercles that can be fused due to increasing calcification. Suboral avicularium ( Fig. 8E ) small, single, oblique and directed distolaterally; rostrum triangular, with hooked tip and complete crossbar; foramen oval. Frontal avicularia small, diamond-shaped, located near zooidal margins, variable in orientation. Ovicell prominent ( Fig. 8F ), becoming immersed with increasing calcification; ooecia subglobular and frontally flat; ectooecium non-calcified frontally, leaving a large, circular tabula of completely calcified entooecium.

Remarks. Rhynchozoon brasiliensis was misassigned to Rhynchozoon rostratum ( Busk, 1856) ( Souza 1989; Machado & Souza 1994) and Rhynchozoon verruculatum ( Smitt, 1873) (Almeida et al. 2015a), but recently Almeida et al. (2017a) elucidated the identity of this species from Bahia.

This species is commonly found attached to sponges, frequently those with a rugose external surface (Almeida et al. 2017a).

Distribution. Western Atlantic: Brazil (Bahia) (Almeida et al. 2017a).

Figures

FIGURE 8. A, B. Fodinella atlantica WINSTON, VIEIRA & WOOLLACOTT, 2014, UFBA 1656. A. OVERVIEW Of A COLONY WITH OVICELLED ZOOIDS (ARROW). B. CLOSE-UP Of A PRIMARY ORIfICE, SHOWINg THE ORAL SPINES, A CONDYLE, AND A LARgE AVICULARIUM. C–F. Rhynchozoon brasiliensis ALMEIDA, SOUZA, MENEgOLA & VIEIRA, 2017, UFBA 1620. C. VIEW Of A COLONY WITH SEVERAL fRONTAL AVICULARIA. D. DETAIL Of PRIMARY ORIfICE WITH A BROADLY V-SHAPED SINUS. E. CLOSE-UP Of AUTOZOOIDS WITH SUBORAL AND fRONTAL AVICULARIA. F. GROUP Of OVICELLED ZOOIDS. SCALE BARS: A, 250 µM; B, 50 µM; C, F, 200 µM; D, E, 100 µM.