Hyalinella punctata (Hancock, 1850)

(Fig. 3)

Plumatella punctata Hancock, 1850: p. 200, text-figs. 6, 7; pl. 3(1).

Plumatella punctata: Kraepelin, 1887: p. 126 –128, pls 4 (115, 116), 5 (124, 125), 7 (153, 154).

Hyalinella punctata: Rogick, 1935: p. 251; Toriumi, 1955: p. 247, text-figs 1–3; Bushnell, 1965: p. 541, figs 12, 13; Geimer & Massard, 1986: p. 118–130, pl. 14; Wiebach, 1964: p. 27; Wood, 1989: p. 43–46, fig. 25.

Material examined. Specimen No. 174, collected March, 1953 at Lake Lungwe, situated at 2923 meters elevation in DR Congo, Sud-Kivu Province, about 61 km S of Bukayu, by Dr. J. Bouillon. Identified by Wiebach as Hyalinella punctata (Hancock, 1850) .

Description. The small colonies have a swollen appearance, transparent body wall, and limited branching (Fig. 3). Contracted zooids show little more than low mounds at intervals along the main colony axis. There are no statoblasts.

Remarks. Hyalinella punctata is known as a holarctic species and unlikely to occur in Africa, although at 2923 meters elevation the possibility cannot be dismissed. Another possibility would be H. lendenfeldi Ridley, 1887 which has a similar colony structure and is known from Thailand and possibly other parts of southern Asia (Wood et al. 2006). Unfortunately, there there are no statoblasts with the MRAC specimen to verify identification. Even Wiebach (1964) qualified his species identification with a question mark.