Cheilostome Bryozoa from Penang and Langkawi, Malaysia
Author
Taylor, Paul D.
7AFF2929-DF5B-46B2-94E6-B26B396CC2C8
urn: lsid: zoobank. org: author: 7 AFF 2929 - DF 5 B- 46 B 2 - 94 E 6 - B 26 B 396 CC 2 C 8
Author
Tan, Shau-Hwai Aileen
FB8279A2-D0D7-4151-A30E-81761FA26709
urn: lsid: zoobank. org: author: FB 8279 A 2 - D 0 D 7 - 4151 - A 30 E- 81761 FA 26709
text
European Journal of Taxonomy
2015
2015-11-03
149
1
34
journal article
22374
10.5852/ejt.2015.149
5f7efcfd-9137-4909-8125-f4cc7d9bae9f
2118-9773
3787554
Microporella
sp.
Fig. 15
D–G
Material
MALAYSIA
: MSL BRY012d, Kampung Kuala Temoyong, Langkawi, colony encrusting interior of large gastropod shell.
Description
Colony encrusting, multiserial, unilamellar. Ancestrula and early astogeny not observed. Autozooids small, about
0.35–0.37 mm
long by
0.28 mm
wide, subhexagonal, rounded distally; distinct with interzooidal grooves; frontal shield convex, porous, a few elongate areolar pores around perimeter and numerous smaller circular pseudopores elsewhere, coarsely pustulose; orifice semi-elliptical, small, about
0.06 mm
long by
0.08–0.09 mm
wide, proximal edge straight, without teeth or condyles, distal edge beaded; oral spines numbering three in non-ovicellate zooids, one distal medial and two lateral, level with orifice mid-length, not visible in ovicellate zooids; ascopore crescent-shaped, about
0.04 mm
wide, toothed, set in a rugose prominence about
0.06 mm
long by
0.08 mm
wide, close to proximal edge of orifice, but separated by a narrow band of non-porous frontal shield (
Fig. 15E
); ovicell personate, proximal border of secondary orifice broadly U-shaped, ooecium broader than long, about
0.16 mm
long by
0.20 mm
wide, porous except in the most proximal medial part, calcification continuous with that of frontal shield of distal zooid, on which ovicell rests without extending as far distally as ascopore. Adventitious avicularia present in a minority of autozooids, single, located about mid-length on autozooid, directed laterally outwards, small, about
0.08 mm
long by
0.06 mm
wide; rostrum with concave sides and open end (i.e., channeled); mandible setose, almost twice length of rostrum; opesia semicircular.
Remarks
Microporella
is a highly species-rich genus with a global distribution (
Taylor & Mawatari 2005
). Differences between species can be very subtle. The species described here is characterized by having: (1) unpaired avicularia, often lacking altogether, laterally directed; (2) a broad crescent-shaped ascopore set in a wide rugose prominence; (3) three oral spines; and (4) an orifice lacking both teeth and condyles along the proximal edge but having a beaded distal edge. A beaded (or denticulate) distal orificial edge occurs in relatively few species of
Microporella
, such as
M. serrata
Mawatari & Suwa, 1998
,
M. rogickae
Winston, Hayward & Craig, 2000
, and
M. browni
Harmelin, Ostrovsky, Cáceres-Chamizo & Sanner, 2011
. In
M. serrata
the avicularia are located much more distally than in the species from Langkawi and the ascopore is cribriform. Condyles are present at the proximolateral corners of the orifice in both this species and
M. rogickae
, the latter having 4–5 oral spines (
cf.
3 in
the species described here) and a much thicker proximal edge to the personate ovicells, whereas in
M. serrata
4 oral spines are present and the ovicells are not personate. Although the Langkawi species may be new, its formal description must await additional material.