Bryopesanser baderae, Tilbrook, Kevin J., 2012

Tilbrook, Kevin J., 2012, Review of the bryozoan genus Bryopesanser Tilbrook, 2006 (Escharinidae: Cheilostomata) with the description of 11 new species, Zootaxa 3165, pp. 39-63 : 57-59

Bryopesanser baderae n. sp.

( Figures 46–51 , Table 1)

Material. Holotype (here selected): LI 2011/152, M42/3-465, Great Meteor Bank, 302 m, 29°48.3´N, 28°36.5´W, on coral. Paratypes (here selected): LI 2011/150, 151 (on coral), LI 2011/157 two colonies on echinoid fragment, same locality as holotype. Other material examined: LI 2011/153, 154, 155, 156, 405, on coral, same locality as holotype.

Description. Autozooids 0.65–0.85 x 0.50–0.70 mm, irregularly polygonal, distinct, separated by shallow grooves. Frontal shield slightly nodular, slightly convex, evenly perforated with numerous small multiporous pores, areolar septular pores at each lateral and proximal angle. Primary orifice wider than long, ca 0.14 x 0.12 mm excluding sinus, anter deeply arched, proximal border straight, condyles smooth, dipping medially towards dropshaped sinus, as wide as long. Oral spines 9, evenly spaced. Proximal peristome hardly developed, a slight median mucro with ontogeny. Avicularia originating lateral to second most proximal pair of spines, rostra medium-sized, with smooth edges, open-ended distally, crossbar complete, slightly distomedially directed, mandibles fan-shaped. Ovicell hyperstomial, producing a slightly thickened proximal edge. Ovicellate zooids with 8 oral spines, the most distal pair incorporated into ovicell. Ancestrula longer than wide, ca 0.40 x 0.30 mm; 10 spines, 5 closely spaced distally, 5 widely spaced proximally; opesia circular, occupying less than one quarter of frontal surface.

Etymology. Named for Dr Beate Bader who collected the specimen, formerly of the Institut für Geowissenschaften, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel.

Remarks. Bryopesanser baderae n. sp. is characterised by the details of its primary orifice and the number of oral spines. The species differs from B. pesanseris in the number of oral spines and in this respect most resembles B. thricyng n. sp. and B. tiara n. sp. which also have nine. However, these two species differ in a number of ways ― shape of primary orifice, extent of orificial peristome, ovicell ornamentation and size, and direction of the avicularian rostra.

Distribution. Bryopesanser baderae n. sp. is found on the Great Meteor Bank, as well as the Hyères (31°29.95´N, 28°59.54´W) and Irving (31°59.79´N, 28°00.01´W) seamounts (Beate Bader, pers. comm. 2001). The observed depth range is 290–455 m (Björn Berning, pers. comm. 2011).

Figures

FIGURES 46 – 51, Bryopesanser baderae n. sp. 46 - 48, Holotype specimen, LI 2011 / 152, Great Meteor Bank. 49, Paratype specimen, LI 2011 / 156, Great Meteor Bank. 50, LI 2011 / 154, Great Meteor Bank. 51, LI 2011 / 405, Great Meteor Bank. Scale bars: 46, 1000 µm; 47, 500 µm; 48, 100 µm; 49, 200 µm; 50, 500 µm; 51, 200 µm.