Parasmittina oculinae, Judith L Winston, 2016

Judith L Winston, 2016, Bryozoa of Floridan Oculina reefs, Zootaxa 4071 (1), pp. 1-81 : 49

Parasmittina oculinae sp. nov.

( Fig. 27 ; Table 26 )

Material examined. Holotype: VMNH no. 70640.

Etymology. Based on the Latinized singular possessive of Oculina , i.e. the Oculina Parasmittina , alluding to the habitat in which it was found.

Diagnosis. Parasmittina with 2 orificial spines, a narrow lyrula, an ooecium with 2 narrow bands of pores, and 2 kinds of avicularia—small oval avicularia oriented distoproximally and small acute triangular avicularia oriented toward the orifice.

Description. Colony encrusting dead Oculina ( Fig. 27 A). Zooids subrectangular, lateral margins straight, frontal shield slightly convex, imperforate except for large evenly spaced marginal pores, calcification thick and pustulose ( Fig. 27 B, C). Primary orifice round distally, smooth rimmed, with a small, weakly anvil-shaped, lyrula and narrow elongate condyles; 2 oral spines. A low uneven-edged peristome forms oval secondary orifice. 1–2 small avicularia, oval to slightly subtriangular, with median crossbars and raised rims, set into frontal shield and oriented distally or slightly tilted toward orificial center; if 2 avicularia, these paired at about same level on either side and below orifice ( Fig. 27 B–D). Ooecium spherical, outer layer coarsely calcified, stemming from distal zooid on which ooecium develops, inner layer with numerous small pores ( Fig. 27 D, E).

Remarks. The paired oral spines and the general shape of the orifice are similar to that in Parasmittina betamorphaea , another species found on the SE U.S. coast, but P. betamorphaea has a wider lyrula, its small oval avicularia are slightly spatulate and oriented distoproximally, its small triangular avicularia are acute and oriented toward the orifice and the pores of the inner oecial layer in P. b e t a m o r p ha e a are larger and sparser, occurring in two separate bands.

Distribution. Florida Atlantic shelf Oculina reefs.

Figures

FIGURE 27. Parasmittina oculinae sp. nov.: A, edge of encrusting colony; B, group of zooids, two with ooecia; C, group of autozooids; D, close up of zooids, showing narrow lyrula of orifice, and oval avicularia; E, close-up of orifice with adjacent small avicularium with acute rostrum, adjacent to an ooecium; F, close-up of an orifice showing two distal spines and small oval avicularia outside the peristome. Scale bars: A, 1 mm; B, C, 0.5 mm; D, 0.4 mm; E, 0.2 mm; F, 0.1 mm.

Tables

TABLE 26. Measurements in mm of Parasmittina oculinae sp. nov.

	Lz	Wz	Lo	Wo	Lov	Wov	Lav	Wav
N	6	6	6	6	6	6	6	6
Mean	0.435	0.354	0.075	0.098	0.162	0.201	0.102	0.045
SD	0.050	0.088	0.009	0.009	0.011	0.007	0.011	0.008
Min	0.360	0.270	0.063	0.090	0.144	0.198	0.090	0.036
Max	0.486	0.522	0.090	0.108	0.180	0.216	0.117	0.054