Cradoscrupocellaria macrorhynchoides, VIEIRA & JONES & WINSTON, 2013

VIEIRA, LEANDRO M., JONES, MARY E. SPENCER & WINSTON, JUDITH E., 2013, <p class = " HeadingRunIn " align = " left "> <strong> <em> Cradoscrupocellaria </ em>, a new bryozoan genus for <em> Scrupocellaria bertholletii </ em> (Audouin) and related species (Cheilostomata, Candidae): taxonomy, biodiversity and distribution </ strong> </ p>, Zootaxa 3707 (1), pp. 1-63 : 51

Cradoscrupocellaria macrorhynchoides n. sp.

( Fig. 26 , Table 6)

Material examined. Holotype. NHMUK 2010.12 .6.19 ( Fig. 26 ), Brisbane , Queensland, Australia . Paratype. NHMUK 2010.12 .6.20, same data as holotype .

Type locality. Queensland, Australia .

Etymology. The specific name macrorhynchoides refers to the similarity of this species to the Mediterranean species Cradoscrupocellaria macrorhyncha ( Gautier, 1962) .

Diagnosis. Chitinous joints passing across proximal end of opesia in outer zooids at bifurcation (zooids C and D); 2 inner and 2–3 outer distal spines; scutum stout, large, highly branched at tip, fully developed and completely covering frontal membrane; small distolateral avicularium sometimes present, obscured by outer oral spines; dimorphic elongate frontal avicularium with hooked tip, shorter than in C. macrorhyncha ; vibracular chamber almost basal rather than lateral as in C. macrorhyncha ; ooecium with small rounded pseudopores.

Description. Colony erect, branches comprising 5–11 alternating zooids, with zooidal surfaces in the same plane. Internodes slender, almost straight, with an acutely bifurcating pattern; chitinous joints pass across the proximal end of opesia in outer zooids at the bifurcation (zooids C and D), and across the proximal gymnocyst of inner zooids (F and G). Autozooids cylindrical, with straight sides. Oval opesia occupying three quarters of the zooidal length; cryptocyst reduced to a narrow often inconspicuous rim around the opesia. Scutum large, stout, flattened, highly branched at its tip, fully developed, inserted at midline of inner opesial border and overarching the whole frontal membrane. Distal spines short, unbranched and curved; 2 inner and 3 outer spines; 1 additional median distal spine often present; axial zooid with 5 spines. Very small distolateral avicularium rarely present, obscured by outer distal spines. Dimorphic frontal avicularia present: a very small avicularium with triangular mandible often present in inner zooids of the internode close to the proximal margin of opesia, obliquely directed below to the midline of the zooids; a large frontal avicularium, 0.165 –0.220 mm long, with an elongate mandible often present in outer zooids of each internode, rostrum longer than wide with a fringed edge, directed proximally and with strongly hooked tip, mandible long and hooked distally. One vibracular chamber on the basal surface of each zooid, inconspicuous in frontal view; chamber of vibraculum almost trapezoidal, with a rhizoidal foramen at its outer proximal corner; setal groove directed transversely to the axis of the internode, straight, with smooth setae longer than one autozooid. Single axial vibraculum, small, without rhizoidal foramen. Rhizoids tubular and smooth. Ovicells globular, with proximal slightly raised straight rim, ectooecium perforated by 14–22 small rounded pores; ovicelled zooids with 1 inner and 2 outer spines.

Remarks. Cradoscrupocellaria macrorhynchoides n. sp. resembles C. macrorhyncha in overall appearance but differs in the size of the branches, position of zooids along the branches (slightly angled in C. macrorhyncha ), position of basal vibraculum (basal and inconspicuous in frontal view in C. macrorhynchoides ) and size of the dimorphic frontal avicularium (smaller in C. macrorhynchoides than in C. macrorhyncha ).

Distribution. Pacific Ocean: Queensland, Australia.

Figures

FIGURE 26. Cradoscrupocellaria macrorhynchoides n. sp. A–F, NHMUK 2010.12.6.19, holotype, Queensland, Australia. A, Frontal surface of colony. B, Frontal surface of branch bifurcation; note the gigantic frontal avicularium on axial zooid. C, Close-up of a branch bifurcation; note the ovicelled zooids and the gigantic frontal avicularium. D, Close-up of gigantic frontal avicularium. E, Abfrontal surface of colony. F, Abfrontal surface of branch bifurcation.