Hippoporella sabulonis, Winston, Judith E. & Vieira, Leandro M., 2013

Winston, Judith E. & Vieira, Leandro M., 2013, Systematics of interstitial encrusting bryozoans from southeastern Brazil, Zootaxa 3710 (2), pp. 101-146 : 136-137

Hippoporella sabulonis sp. nov.

(Fig. 23; Table 21 )

Material examined. Holotype: MZUSP 754, measured specimen #1, BIOTA Stn 208. Paratypes: MZUSP 755, measured specimen #2, BIOTA Stn 211; MZUSP 756, BIOTA Stn 211; VMNH 70033, measured specimen #3, BIOTA Stn 211; VMNH 70034, BIOTA Stn 208.

Etymology. From the Latin sabulum, sabulonis , of coarse sand, gravel.

Diagnosis. Differs from Hippoporella pusilla (Smitt, 1873) , another species found encrusting small grains, in the scalloped proximal border of its ovicell and in the presence of small triangular avicularia on some zooids.

Description. Small colonies encrusting calcareous substrata, shell grains, worm tubes, dead mollusk shells, etc. Zooids also small, oval to subhexagonal, their distal ends raised into a peristome with a single proximal tubercle that is conical when first developed, but which may become broader and/or broken in age. Small distinct marginal pores, frontal shield consisting of rough-textured calcification, with a smoother texture on the peristomial rim. Primary orifice hoof shaped, wider at the proximal edge, with a subcircular anter, and small triangular condyles dividing anter from a very shallow and broad poster. Articulated oral spines 4–5 (usually broken off at base) around distal half of orifice. Small triangular avicularia may occur on one or both sides of zooids; they are most often present in ovicelled zooids. Ooecia shallow imperforate caps with a central peak or tubercle. They have a scalloped proximal margin, opening into the maternal zooid peristome above the operculum.

Remarks. This is one of several Hippoporella species characteristic of calcareous substrata, such as shell and beach rock, in warm-water areas. These pioneering species, whose small colonies can be found on the insides of recently dead bivalve shells and other recently submerged substrata, reproduce early, and probably do not live very long.

Distribution. São Paulo state, Brazil.

Tables

TABLE 21. Measurements (in mm) of Hippoporella sabulonis sp. nov..

	Lz	Wz	Lo	Wo	Lov	Wov
N	18	18	18	18	5	5
Mean	0.325	0.234	0.071	0.075	0.122	0.140
SD	0.027	0.017	0.007	0.007	0.008	0.015
Min	0.270	0.198	0.054	0.063	0.108	0.126
Max	0.360	0.270	0.081	0.090	0.126	0.162