Mourellina gonzaloi, Reverter-Gil, Oscar, Souto, Javier & Fernández-Pulpeiro, Eugenio, 2011

Reverter-Gil, Oscar, Souto, Javier & Fernández-Pulpeiro, Eugenio, 2011, Revision of the genus Crepis Jullien (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) with description of a new genus and family and notes on Chlidoniidae, Zootaxa 2993, pp. 1-22 : 16-18

Mourellina gonzaloi n. sp.

( Figs 43–49 ; Table 9)

Crepis decussata Harmer, 1926: 320 , form b, pl. 15, figs 9, 12.

Material examined. Holotype: ZMA V.Br. 875/5, Crepis decussata repent form nº155 B (on Levinsenella [= Columnella ] carinata), Sibog a Stn 211, south of Celebes, 1158 m (in alcohol). Paratype # 1: ZMA Br. 1450, Crepis decussata , same substratum and locality as holotype, figured specimen, pl. 15, figs 9, 12 (slide). Paratype # 2: NHMUK 1928.3.6.123, Crepis decussata repent form, same substratum and locality, nº 526 F.

Etymology. This species is dedicated to Gonzalo de Vigo (early 16th century), a Galician sailor who was the first European castaway in the history of the Pacific Ocean.

Description. Colony repent, comprising branching uniserial series of autozooids. These divided in two parts, a proximal adnate section, long and tubular, joined to proximal zooid, and a distal projecting section, boat-shaped, broader at base, with an extensive area of membranous frontal wall, facing proximally. Operculum terminal, with crescentic marginal sclerite. Cryptocyst small, its distal half forming an upwardly curved rim; continuous with tubular section, projecting horizontally into body cavity of distal section. Outer spines and interior spinules not present. Polypide with few tentacles. New branches produced by lateral budding from one pore on one side of tubular proximal part of autozooid; pore surrounded by a rim of thickened cuticle, produced into a long, tubular portion, its distal part bent at right angles to proximal portion; distal dilatation with membranous frontal wall and cryptocyst; first daughter zooid produced by lateral budding from the right-angle bend, straight, orientated in opposite direction from first zooid. Avicularia, ovicells and ancestrula not seen.

Mean SD Minimum Maximum N Autozooid length 0.819 0.0408 0.769 0.913 15 Tubular section length 0.620 0.0509 0.534 0.702 15 Tubular section width 0.110 0.0108 0.096 0.125 15 Erect section height 0.354 0.0356 0.298 0.404 10

SD, Standard deviation; N, number of measurements.

Figures

FIGURES 43 – 47. Mourellina gonzaloi n. sp. (ZMA V. Br. 875 / 5, holotype) 43, view of the colony; note the typical branching pattern (arrow up left); 44, 45, projecting portion of autozooids; 46, whole autozooids; 47, a new branch detached from the parent zooid.

FIGURES 48 – 49. Mourellina gonzaloi n. sp. (ZMA Br. 1450, paratype) 48, branching pattern (arrow: connection with the main axis); 49, a new branch detached from the parent zooid; note the basal disc.