Lepralia unicornis Johnston

HAYWARD, PETER J. & McKINNEY, FRANK K., 2002, Northern Adriatic Bryozoa From The Vicinity Of Rovinj, Croatia, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2002 (270), pp. 1-139 : 67-72

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.1206/0003-0090(2002)270<0001:NABFTV>2.0.CO;2

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D1878C-1908-FFE5-FF92-C6D4FE56C1FD

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Lepralia unicornis Johnston
status

 

Lepralia unicornis Johnston , in Wood, 1844: 19. Schizoporella unicornis Hincks, 1877: 320 View in CoL . Hay­

ward and Ryland, 1999: 220.

DESCRIPTION (AMNH 961): Colony encrusting, multiserial, unilaminar to multilaminar, developing extensive sheets. Autozooids rectangular to irregularly polygonal, strongly convex, separated by deep grooves. Primary orifice slightly wider than long, with a deep V­shaped sinus occupying about half width of proximal border; condyles small but distinctive, with acute upturned corners. No spines. Frontal shield with conspicuous epitheca, glistening in dried material; densely perforated by numerous small pores. Adventitious avicularia lateral to orifice, single or paired, situated adjacent to sinus; cystid swollen, rostrum acute to frontal plane, distolaterally directed, supporting a triangular mandible. Ovicell hyperstomial, globose; imperforate centrally, but developing a reticulate secondary calcification which appears porous; small pores present marginally, associated with conspicuous basal fluting. Ancestrula oval, tatiform, about half size of normal autozooids, at least five spines around distal end of opesia, producing single distal bud.

DISTRIBUTION: Schizoporella unicornis is distributed in the northeast Atlantic region from western Norway to the western Mediterranean, and does not appear to have been reported previously from the Adriatic. Around the British Isles it is common in littoral and shallow sublittoral habitats, especially among kelp holdfasts and on the undersides of boulders.

MEASUREMENTS (SKELETAL): AL 119 ± 14 µm, 94–134 (2, 8), AW 90 ± 14, 73–111 (2, 8), DO, 370 ± 70, 250–445 (2, 20), OL 102 ± 9, 85–119, 2, 21), OW 104 ± 6, 98–111 (2, 20), OvL 259 ± 25, 218–3–19 (2, 14), OvW 282 ± 16, 264–321 (2, 14), SL 27 ± 6, 17–38 (2, 21), SW 49 ± 7, 33–62 (2, 21), ZL 488 ± 36, 421–550 (2, 20), ZW 327 ± 59, 244–428 (2, 20).

Schizoporella errata ( Waters, 1878) View in CoL Figure 30F–I View Fig

Lepralia errata Waters, 1878: 11 .

Schizoporella errata: Hayward and Ryland, 1999: 212 View in CoL .

DESCRIPTION (AMNH 962; CMRR 2244): Colonies purple­brown with orange growing margins, multilaminar predominantly through frontal budding, often substantial. Autozooids irregularly polygonal and extremely variable in both size and shape; orientation inconstant in multilaminar colonies. Orifice slightly longer than wide; the anter semielliptical, widest proximally; condyles short and rounded, lodged in proximolateral corners and rather inconspicuous; sinus a deep, symmetrical U­shape, occupying about half proximal width of orifice. No spines. Frontal shield convex, regularly and closely perforated by large, round pores, the intervening calcification thickening as sharp ridges. Avicularia sporadic, developed proximolaterally to the orifice, the rostrum sharply tapered, directed distolaterally. Ovicell globular, with scattered pores, calcification thickening and pores deepening in later ontogeny.

Tentacles light orange, 16–19; lophophores bell­shaped, radially symmetrical, slightly obliquely truncate bordering chimneys.

Embryos bright orange.

REMARKS: S. errata is a prolific fouling organism; it covers almost all the available hard human­constructed substrata in parts of the Rovinj harbor (locality 34) and the mussel­culture station in Lim Channel (locality 33). The structure in Rovinj harbor is exposed to vigorous hydrodynamic conditions, whereas the Lim Channel locality is protect­ ed, with very low kinetic energy conditions. Colony morphology at the harbor locality is massive, with irregular knobby surfaces and centimeter­wide, millimeter­high cavities in which sediment or other extraneous objects may be immured; colonies are more densely grown and lack such cavities at the musselculture station. At the mussel­culture station, two morphologies predominate: relatively smooth­surfaced multilaminar encrustations, and prolific, commonly hollow, erect branches. These differences in growth habits between the two localities parallel the morphologies that the species exhibits between high­energy and low­energy localities in the Ligurian Sea along the Italian coast ( Cocito et al., 2000). However, the hollow centers of colonies found by Cocito et al. were generally very narrow and reflect growth around soft­bodied erect organisms such as hydroids. This may also be a cause for the initiation of erect growth at the Lim Channel mussel­culture station, but extensive portions of the erect branches there have broad, open centers that house vagrant organisms such as polychaetes and decapods. Movement of the inhabitants is the apparent cause of maintenance of the large hollow centers as branches extend and divide distally.

DISTRIBUTION: This is a readily recognized, widely distributed, and common fouling species. It is common throughout the Mediterranean and flourishes on man­made substrata as a persistent and sometimes troublesome fouling organism. It is present in similar situations in warm temperate to subtropical waters worldwide, and is a vigorously invasive species. Gordon and Mawatari (1992) record its recent spread in New Zealand ports.

MEASUREMENTS (SKELETAL): AL 181 ± 8 µm, 173–195 (1, 10), AW 137 ± 15, 117– 164 (1, 10), DO 456 ± 85, 311–627 (2, 20), OL 124 ± 18, 103–151 (2, 20), OW 128 ± 10, 112–146 (2, 20), SL 29 ± 4, 22–36 (2, 20), SW 64 ± 5, 53–72 (2, 20), ZL 570 ± 48, 495–676 (2, 20), ZW 384 ± 78, 288–518 (2, 20). (POLYPIDE): IH 149 ± 82 µm, 40– 320 (4, 35), LDMn 578 ± 128, 360–780 (1, 33), LDMx 648 ± 150, 360–900 (4, 49), TLMn 527 ± 81, 400–720 (4, 35), TLMx 576 ± 131, 400–900 (4, 40).

Schizoporella dunkeri ( Reuss, 1848) View in CoL Figure 31A–E View Fig

Cellepora dunkeri Reuss, 1848: 90 .

Schizoporella unicornis View in CoL form longirostris Hincks, 1886: 266 .

Schizoporella longirostris: Gautier, 1962: 151 . Hayward and Ryland, 1979: 173 (part). Zabala, 1986: 489. Zabala and Maluquer, 1988: 133.

Schizoporella dunkeri: Hayward and Ryland, 1995: 39, 1999: 210 View in CoL .

DESCRIPTION (AMNH 891, 963; CMRR 2245): Colonies orange, multiserial, unilaminar to multilaminar, developing extensive, spreading sheets. Autozooids large, rectangular to irregularly polygonal; convex, separated by distinct, narrow sutures. Primary orifice about as wide as long, proximal bor­ der with a narrow sinus medially, its sides often straight and in parallel, proximal extremity more or less rounded; condyles massive, faceted, prominent and emphasizing sinus. No oral spines; peristome developed as a thickened ridge distally and laterally in lat­ er ontogeny. Frontal shield finely granular, densely perforated by small round pores, bounded by thickened rims; a low median suboral umbo developing in later ontogeny. Avicularia characteristic: monomorphic, proximolateral to orifice, single or paired, generally distolaterally directed; broadest at the thickened crossbar, the rostrum abruptly narrowed distal to it and tapered to a thin, blunt tip; frequently>0.2 mm long; mandible slender, acuminate. Additional, larger avicularia may be budded elsewhere on autozooid frontal surface when frontal expansion of colony occurs. Ovicell recumbent on distally succeeding autozooid, globular and prominent, calcification and perforation uniform with that of the frontal shield, often developing a frontal umbo.

Tentacles light orange, 16–20; lophophores bell­shaped, radially symmetrical between chimneys, obliquely truncate and locally scalloped adjacent to chimneys; overlap between adjacent lophophores up to 200 µm.

Embryo color dark orange. Ancestrula and early astogeny first described by Friedl (1925).

REMARKS: The type specimen is a Miocene fossil from the Vienna basin. Hincks (1886) introduced the taxon longirostris as a variety of the north European species S. unicornis (Johnston in Wood) and as S. longirostris it was subsequently reported from all parts of the Mediterranean, and northwards to the Isles of Scilly. Hayward and Ryland (1995) finally established the synonymy of S. dunkeri (Reuss) and S. longirostris (Hincks) .

DISTRIBUTION: In addition to the Distribution cited above (Remarks), Schizoporella dunkeri is abundant throughout the Adriatic, in shallow detritic environments.

MEASUREMENTS (SKELETAL): AL 301 ± 45 µm, 204–395 (3, 30), AW 138 ± 26, 97–182 (3, 30), DO 609 ± 97, 390–790 (3, 30), OL 160 ± 11, 133–176 (3, 29), OW 136 ± 13, 110–162 (3, 29), OvL 301 ± 19, 282–319 (1, 3), OvW 358 ± 23, 332–372 (1, 3), SL 42 ± 8, 31–53 (2, 9), SW 26 ± 8, 19–39 (2, 9), ZL 739 ± 69, 599–827 (3, 28), ZW 644 ± 94, 489–813 (3, 28). (POLYPIDE): IH 234 ± 59 µm, 140–350 (3, 20), LDMn 808 ± 100, 620–1000 (4, 39), LDMx 876 ± 116, 620–1200 (4, 43), MD 37 ± 4, 30–45 (3, 32), TLMn 718 ± 63, 600–850 (3, 12), TLMx884 ± 187, 680–1280 (4, 19).

Schizoporella magnifica Hincks, 1886 View in CoL Figure 31F–J View Fig

Schizoporella magnifica Hincks, 1886: 268 View in CoL . Zabala, 1986: 491. Zabala and Maluquer, 1988: 133. Hayward and Ryland, 1999: 216.

DESCRIPTION (AMNH 964, 965; CMRR 2246): Colonies cream­colored, encrusting, multiserial, unilaminar to multilaminar. Autozooids hexagonal to irregularly polygonal, convex, separated by distinct grooves. Primary orifice longer than wide, sinus a narrow, U­shaped slit equivalent to one­third length of anter, occupying about half proximal width; condyles rounded, faceted and conspicuous. Oral spines generally absent except in earliest colony astogeny, decreasing in number distally from three or four in zooids budded from ancestrula; no peristome. Frontal shield thick, tuberculate, densely perforated by small round pores. Ancestrula finely perforate, with eight oral spines around large D­shaped orifice, with straight proximal margin; orifice wider than long, maximum width at about midlength. Avicularia paired (rarely, single), situated lateral to orifice, usually distal to the sinus, some autozooids with an additional distolaterally directed adventitious avicularium proximal to orifice; cystid rounded, prominent, rostrum narrowly triangular, acute to frontal plane, directed distally or slightly distolaterally; crossbar slender, complete. Ovicell recumbent on frontal shield of distally succeeding autozooid, elongate oval, domed and prominent; texture and perforation similar to that of frontal shield, but a median apical area imperforate, and often developed as a longitudinal ridge or umbo.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is widespread and common throughout the Mediterranean and reaches its northern limit off the southwest British Isles.

MEASUREMENTS (SKELETAL): AL 161 ± 19 µm, 131–194 (2, 20), AW 109 ± 15, 90–144 (2, 20), DO 436 ± 52, 325–575 (2, 20), OL 126 ± 9, 108–145 (2, 20), OW 97 ± 9, 74– 111 (2, 20), OvL 380 ± 28, 334–446 (2, 20), OvW 304 ± 27, 243–334 (2, 20), SL 35 ± 6, 25–45 (2, 20), SW 24 ± 4, 15–32 (2, 20), ZL 540 ± 36, 494–641 (2, 20), ZW 389 ± 31, 330–442 (2, 20).

Schizoporella View in CoL cf. S. tetragona ( Reuss, 1848) View in CoL Figure 32A–D View Fig

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Bryozoa

Class

Gymnolaemata

Order

Cheilostomatida

Family

Bryocryptellidae

Genus

Lepralia

Loc

Lepralia unicornis Johnston

HAYWARD, PETER J. & McKINNEY, FRANK K. 2002
2002
Loc

Schizoporella errata:

Hayward, P. J. & J. S. Ryland 1999: 212
1999
Loc

Schizoporella dunkeri: Hayward and Ryland, 1995: 39 , 1999: 210

Hayward, P. J. & J. S. Ryland 1999: 210
Hayward, P. J. & J. S. Ryland 1995: 39
1995
Loc

Schizoporella longirostris: Gautier, 1962: 151

Zabala, M. & P. Maluquer 1988: 133
Zabala, M. 1986: 489
Hayward, P. J. & J. S. Ryland 1979: 173
Gautier, Y. V. 1962: 151
1962
Loc

Schizoporella unicornis

Hincks, T. 1886: 266
1886
Loc

Schizoporella magnifica

Hayward, P. J. & J. S. Ryland 1999: 216
Zabala, M. & P. Maluquer 1988: 133
Zabala, M. 1986: 491
Hincks, T. 1886: 268
1886
Loc

Lepralia errata

Waters, A. W. 1878: 11
1878
Loc

Cellepora dunkeri

Reuss, A. E. 1848: 90
1848
Loc

Lepralia unicornis

Hincks, T. 1877: 320
Wood, S. V. 1844: 19
1844
Darwin Core Archive (for parent article) View in SIBiLS Plain XML RDF