Bryozoa of Floridan Oculina reefs
Author
Judith L Winston
text
Zootaxa
2016
4071
1
1
81
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.4071.1.1
8ffe5a88-06f7-44af-95aa-5fd49e0302c4
1175-5326
260490
D47C792F-E91D-40A6-ABB7-FA7810578562
Smittina forticula
sp. nov.
(
Fig. 29
;
Table 28
)
TABLE 28.
Measurements in mm of
Smittina forticula
sp. nov.
|
Lz
|
Wz
|
Lo
|
Wo
|
Lov
|
Wov
|
Lav
|
Wav
|
| N |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
1 |
1 |
| Mean |
0.552 |
0.348 |
0.131 |
0.110 |
0.144 |
0.252 |
0.090 |
0.072 |
| SD |
0.022 |
0.029 |
0.011 |
0.004 |
0.016 |
0.030 |
------ |
------ |
| Min |
0.522 |
0.306 |
0.117 |
0.108 |
0.126 |
0.216 |
0.090 |
0.072 |
| Max |
0.576 |
0.378 |
0.144 |
0.117 |
0.162 |
0.288 |
0.090 |
0.072 |
FIGURE 29.
Smittina forticula
sp. nov.
:
A,
group of zooids showing high peristomes and almost imperforate ooecia, with remains of an
Aetea
colony;
B,
a single zooid with ooecium and frontal avicularium;
C,
close-up of hastate avicularium; D, close-up of orifice showing broad lyrula inside thick peristome with pseudosinus. Scale bars: A, 0.5 mm; B, 0.2 mm; C, 0.05 mm; D, 0.1 mm.
Material examined.
Holotype
: VMNH. no. 70642.
Etymology.
Latin,
forticulus
, diminutive of
fortis
, strong, brave, alluding to the spear-shaped frontal avicularium.
Diagnosis.
Smittina
species having an orifice with a low, broad anvil-shaped lyrula, a medial hastate suboral avicularium, and a small, heavily calcified ooecium with few pores.
Description.
Colony encrusting calcareous substrata (
Fig. 29
A, B), small. Zooids oval to rhombic with evenly porous frontal shield, small round pores sunken in thick, rough-textured calcification, and a few larger pores at zooid margins. Primary orifice transversely oval, with low, broad anvil-shaped lyrula (
Fig. 29
D) and surrounded by thick-walled peristome, circular distally and laterally, but with an almost rectangular pseudosinus proximally. One zooid of unique colony with median suboral oval avicularium with triangular rostrum (
Fig. 29
C). Ooecia appearing as small, thickly calcified caps, bumpy and mostly imperforate, but with a very few small pores, fused to distal rim of the peristome, not closed by zooid operculum (
Fig. 29
A, B).
Remarks.
This species is unusual in having a medial suboral avicularium rather than one connected more closely to the peristome and orifice as in most
Smittina
species. The ovicells are almost imperforate, but the colony has been bored, probably by blue-green algae, which has added more holes to the specimen illustrated. Only one colony of this species was found, but the suite of characters it possesses is unique.
Distribution
. Atlantic Florida
Oculina
reefs.