Candomenipea

Matsuyama, Kei, Janssen, Annika, Arbizu, Pedro Martínez, Martha, Silviu O. & Freiwald, André, 2014, Bryozoans from RV Sonne deep-sea cruises SO 167 ‘ Louisville’ and SO 205 ‘ Mangan’, Zootaxa 3856 (1), pp. 100-116 : 105

Candomenipea sp.

( Fig. 3 , D–G)

Material examined. SMF 15001, SO 167 Stn 33, 22.33417° S – 22.33517° S, 176.09433° W – 176.10033° W, South Tonga Arc, 770–970 m, collected 19 October 2002. Not bleached.

Description. Colony erect, branching dichotomously, biserial; incomplete, comprising only a single fragment 4.3 mm long ( Fig. 3 , D). Autozooids alternating, facing laterofrontally, borders hardly visible, with opesiae about half to two thirds the size of autozooids. Opesia oval, longer than wide, with distinct, bulging rim; a spine base present on inner side of rim, laterally positioned ( Fig. 3 , G). Gymnocyst smooth, extensive; cryptocyst sunken, relatively wider proximally, narrow laterally, absent distally, surface granular. A rhizoid emanating from proximal part of a zooidal frontal gymnocyst ( Fig. 3 , E). Avicularia adventitious, rostrum triangular, with thickened rim, converging at hooked tip; triangular mandible also with hooked tip and two linear thickenings (possibly ligaments) on inner side ( Fig. 3 , F); position of avicularia rather irregular, mostly proximolateral and outside of rim, but in zooid immediately proximal to dichotomy, avicularium is positioned proximally in rim. Ooecia not observed.

Measurements.

Branch width (between opesiae) 0.25–0.35 mm, σ = 50 µm, N = 5

Opesia length 256–304 µm, σ = 19 µm, N = 10; width 171–192 µm, σ = 12 µm, N = 10

Orifice length 202–210 µm, σ = 4 µm, N = 3; width 99–105 mm, σ = 6 µm, N = 3

Avicularium length 68–76 µm, σ = 3 µm, N = 3; width 55–59 µm, σ = 3 µm, N = 3.

Remarks. It is not clear if the attachment point on the inner side of the rim pertains to a simple spine or a scutum because none of these is preserved. D’Hondt & Gordon (1996) state that this genus has a scutum. Differences from the only species of this genus, Candomenipea enigmatica d’Hondt & Gordon, 1996 include the absence of rugbyball-shaped avicularia and two axially positioned slender spines.

Figures

FIGURE 3. A – C, Bicrisia sp. A, colony fragment, frontal view. B, close-up of the distal internode in A. C, peristome with a lateral spine. D – G, Candomenipea sp. D, frontal view of small, infertile colony. E, a rhizoid. F, an avicularium. G, two autozooids; note the lateral attachment point for a spine / scutum. Scale bars: A – B, E – F, 300 µm; C, 100 Μm; D, 1 mm; G, 30 Μm.