Reteporella azorensis, Souto. J., 2019

Souto. J., 2019, Secondary homonymy in Bryozoa: the case of Reteporella jullieni (Cheilostomatida), Zootaxa 4565 (2), pp. 292-300 : 296-298

Reteporella azorensis nom. nov.

( Figs 9–15 )

Reteporella jullieni Calvet, 1931: 105 .

Material examined. Lectotype (designated here): MOM-INV-22521 (previously n° 42 0612) (part): Stn 683, 07/ 07/1896, 38° 20′ N, 28° 04′ 45″ W, 1550 m, dried, fragment with Y morphology (see Fig. 9 ). Paralectotypes (designated here): MOM-INV-22521 (previously n° 42 0612) (part): Stn 683, 07/07/1896, 38° 20′ N, 28° 04′ 45″ W, 1550 m, dried, fragment with lineal growing (see Fig. 9 ) MOM-INV-22546 (previously n° 42 0612): Stn 683, 07/ 07/1896, 38° 20′ N, 28° 04′ 45″ W, 1550 m, one large colony in alcohol; MOM-INV-22547 (previously n° 42 0620): Stn. 719, 27/07/1896, 39° 11′ N 30° 24′ 15″ W, 1600, two fragments in alcohol.

Etymology. Alluding to the type locality.

Description. Erect colony, not fenestrate, branching dichotomously; branches sub-cylindrical with the orifice of the zooids directed on the same plane. Zooids polygonal, mostly rhomboidal, frontal wall smooth or slightly coarse when secondary calcification is growing, distributed in alternate series, from three to five zooids. Primary orifice slightly longer than wide. Orifice surrounded by a thin peristome, consisting of two short proximo-lateral flaps, separated by an oval fissure, that forms a pseudospiramen, fused distally.

Often, a big triangular avicularium is present in suboral position, situated in a subsidence of the frontal wall, and directed proximally, wider than the primary orifice. This avicularium can be absent in some zooids. Crossbar complete; rostrum long and narrow. Up to two small avicularia present in lateral position to the suboral avicularium or distributed along the frontal wall when this larger avicularium is absent, situated slightly elevated on the frontal wall and with variable orientation; complete crossbar and pointed rostrum. These small avicularia are also present in the basal area of the branches. In the basal portion of the colony, the zooidal orifice can appear occluded and only small lateral avicularia seem functional.

Ovicell slightly prominent with a long medial wide fissure, and almost immerse with the development of the secondary calcification.

Remarks. Syntype specimens are stored at the MOM but, according to the current policy, no loans of the type specimens are permitted and no SEM is available at the institution to obtain images useful for a more detailed redescription. However, syntype specimens were studied using a stereomicroscope and optical photos are here presented. In addition lectotype and paralectotypes are here designated from these specimens.

Calvet (1903) did not figure any of the original specimens but he presented a detailed description, which is coincident with the specimens studied and labeled as R. jullieni from the original localities. The original specimens were recorded in two localities around the Azores at 1550 m and 1600 m depth. This species is characterized by erect branching colonies, with zooids arranged in three to five longitudinal series, while Reteporella jullieni ( Calvet, 1907) present biserial colonies with the zooids disposed in two alternate series, with the frontal wall tessellate and slightly coarser in R. azorensis nom. nov. The two species also differ in the morphology of the peristome, and the four oral spines observed in R. jullieni ( Calvet, 1907) are absent in R. azorensis nom. nov. All these morphological differences are enough to distinguish the species from the specimens attributed to Reteporella jullieni ( Calvet, 1907) . Moreover, their biogeographical ranges are well separated, with R azorensis nom. nov. being so far only recorded from the Azores. The conclusion is that they represent two different species of the genus Reteporella . According to the principle of priority, a new name for this species is here proposed.

Figures

FIGURES 9–15. Reteporella azorensis nom. nov. 9. Specimen of the sample MOM-INV-22521 (right specimen: lectotype; left specimen: paralectotype). 10. Two colony fragments from sample MOM-INV-22547 (paralectotypes). 11. Aspect of the colony dichotomy. 12. Zooids in frontal view with small pointed avicularia. 13. Ovicellate zooid showing a peristomial pseudospiramen. 14. Zooids with suboral frontal avicularia and one ovicellate zooid. 15. View of the basal part of a branch.