Canda ukirensis, Sonar & Pawar & Wayal, 2022

Sonar, Mohan A., Pawar, Ravi V. & Wayal, Dnyaneshwar V., 2022, Newly discovered species of cheilostomatid Bryozoa from the Miocene of western Kachchh, Gujarat, India, European Journal of Taxonomy 821, pp. 16-39 : 19-20

Canda ukirensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1A669348-F122-4A0C-AB7C-185D0E1BA860

Fig. 2 ; Table 1

Diagnosis

Biserial erect internodes with alternate arrangement, rectangular autozooids; autozooids immediately inclined to the axis, finely granular cryptocyst with large oval opesia; broad, sessile, laterally emplaced avicularia; vibracula with deep setal groove and broad radicular pore placed dorsally. Ooecium not seen.

Etymology

The species is named after its type locality ‘Ukir’ between Waior and Charopadi in Kachchh.

Material examined

Holotype INDIA • fossiliferous limestone of cliff section exposed 1.5 km southeast of Waghot Village in Waior-Charopadi stream; Burdigalian, lower Miocene, Chhasra Formation; 23°23′49″ N, 68°41′35″ E; Jan.– Feb. 2012; Sonar leg.; GIS/B 0431 .

Paratypes INDIA • 7 specs; same collection data as for holotype; 23°25′55″ N, 68°42′40″ E; Jan.–Feb. 2012; Sonar leg; GIS/B 0432 to 0438 .

Description

Colonies erect, biserial, with rectilinear or slightly curved, narrow branches, triangular in crosssection. Autozooids distinct, alternating in two rows on either side of median keel, rectangular, slightly asymmetrical, abrupt inclination from median keel, separated by shallow grooves, distal edge slightly raised ( Fig. 2A ). Gymnocyst absent. Cryptocyst slightly granular, asymmetrically developed, extended more distally on outer side ( Fig. 2C , uppermost zooid). Large communication pores visible in distolateral corners, emplaced on broad immersed shelf of each autozooid. Opesia large, oval, tapering proximally. Scutum lacking. Avicularia placed laterally along central axis, sessile, broad and about half as long as zooid, each zooid producing single avicularium occupying its inner distal half, rostrum obliquely positioned with respect to colony surface and long axis ( Fig. 2C ). The dorsal side occupied by vibracula with long, curved, deep setal groove, oriented distolaterally; shallow crisscross median furrow corresponds to zooidal boundaries. Radicular pore very large ( Fig. 2B, D ). Ooecium not seen.

Remarks

Canda retiformis ( Pourtalès, 1867) , the north pacific recent species has resemblance with C. ukirensis sp. nov. in broad sessile avicularia but differs in the depressed cryptocyst and presence of scutum. Canda pecten Thornely, 1907 (see Tilbrook 2006: 54, pl. 8c) differs from C. ukirensis sp. nov. in having triangular opesia and large frontal avicularia above branch bifurcation. Di Martino & Taylor, 2014 studied the Indonesian Cenozoic species C. federiciae and C. giorgioi , which differ from C. ukirensis : the former in the absence of avicularia and the latter in the absence of avicularia, raised distal autozooidal edges and egg-shaped opesia. The Recent species Canda foliifera ( Harmer, 1926) from Taiwan has some resemblance in general morphology to the Kachchh species but it has a more extensive granular cryptocyst with a straight proximal edge (see Gluhak et al. 2007: 403, fig. 7a–d).

Figures

Fig. 2. Canda ukirensis sp. nov., holotype (GIS/B 431). A. Frontal view of the colony showing different autozooids, avicularia and vibracula. B. Dorsal view of the colony showing vibracular pores. C. Enlargement of the colony showing autozooids. D. Close-up of dorsal view of the colony showing vibracula with setal grooves and vibracular pores.