Megerlia acrura Hiller, 1986

Bitner, Maria Aleksandra & Logan, Alan, 2016, Recent Brachiopoda from the Mozambique-Madagascar area, western Indian Ocean, Zoosystema 38 (1), pp. 5-41 : 32

Megerlia acrura Hiller, 1986

( Fig. 17 A-F; Table 16)

Megerlia acrura Hiller, 1986: 132-134 , fig. 17A-L.

Megerlina gigantea – Zezina 1987: 559-560.

Megerlia ? gigantea – Zezina 1994: 48-49.

DEPTH RANGE. — 148- 288 m.

MEASUREMENTS. — See Table 16.

REMARKS

Megerlia acrura was described by Hiller (1986) from 0-200 m depth from the coasts of South Africa and Mozambique in the Indian Ocean . Externally it is very similar to M. truncata but is smaller and lacks crura. Our specimens from the Mozambique Channel and North-West Madagascar are from a similar shallow depth range as Hiller’s and show the same acrurate condition.

The specimens described by Zezina (1987, 1994) from the Western Indian Ocean as M. gigantea show no development of crura, thus they are considered to belong to M. acrura .

Figures

FIG. 17. — A-F, Megerlia acrura Hiller, 1986: A, B, ventral and lateral views of complete specimen (MNHN IB-2013-94), North-West Madagascar, off the Bay of Nazendry, MIRIKY, stn DW 3239, 230-288 m; C-F, interior of dorsal valve (MNHN IB-2013-95), oblique and tilted views, and enlargement (F) of posterior part to show details of cardinalia, Mozambique Channel, Inhambane transect, MAINBAZA, stn CC 3159, 148-152 m, SEM; G-K, Megerlia truncata (Linnaeus, 1767): G, H, dorsal views of complete specimens (MNHN IB-2013-96-97), North-West Madagascar, MIRIKY; G, West of Nosy Be, stn DW 3232, 210-310 m; H, in front of the Nazendry Bay, CP 3289, 332-379 m; I, J, Inner view of ventral valve (MNHN IB-2013-98), and enlargement of posterior to show teeth, area and pedicle collar, South Madagascar, South of Faux-Cap ATIMO VATAE, stn DW 3552, 264-280 m, SEM; K, inner view of dorsal valve (MNHN IB-2013-99), stn DW 3552, 264-280 m, SEM. Scale bars: A, B, G, H, 3 mm; C-E, I, K, 2 mm; F, J, 1 mm.