Systematics of interstitial encrusting bryozoans from southeastern Brazil
Author
Winston, Judith E.
Author
Vieira, Leandro M.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3710
2
101
146
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3710.2.1
867ca84b-ed17-40e4-a603-b2efd0e6fef3
1175-5326
248125
6E42B926-DAA9-4BAE-B995-8BDB19B93268
Akatopora leucocypha
(Marcus, 1937)
(
Figure 7
,
Table 5
)
Crassimarginatella leucocypha
Marcus, 1937: 46
, pl. 8, fig. 20A, pl. 9, figs 20B–C; 1938: 20, pl.
3II
, figs 8A–B.
Conopeum reticulum
(part): Osburn 1940: 351.
Antropora leucocypha
: Shier 1964: 613
; Winston 1982: 123, fig. 36; Winston & Håkansson 1986: 9, figs 14–16.
FIGURE 7.
Akatopora leucocypha
(Marcus, 1937)
: A, portion of colony showing a number of zooids with interspersed kenozooids and thick and pillared calcification of side and basal walls. B, more highly magnified view of several zooids; the central zooid had been damaged and a smaller replacement zooid has grown inside the skeleton of the earlier zooid. C, close-up of a zooid surrounded by triangular kenozooids and an avicularium. Scale bars: A, 0.3 mm; B, C, 0.1 mm.
TABLE 5.
Measurements (in mm) of
Akatopora leucocypha
(Marcus, 1937)
.
Lz
|
Wz
|
Lop
|
Wop
|
Lov
|
Wov
|
Lkz
|
Wkz
|
N |
18 |
18 |
18 |
18 |
1 |
1 |
18 |
18 |
Mean |
0.350 |
0.224 |
0.211 |
0.140 |
0.054 |
0.108 |
0.117 |
0.100 |
SD |
0.022 |
0.023 |
0.033 |
0.025 |
n/a |
n/a |
0.027 |
0.022 |
Min |
0.306 |
0.180 |
0.144 |
0.090 |
0.054 |
0.108 |
0.072 |
0.054 |
Max |
0.396 |
0.270 |
0.270 |
0.198 |
0.054 |
0.108 |
0.162 |
0.144 |
Material examined.
MZUSP 0 25,
Crassimarginatella leucocypha
, E. Marcus
coll.,
14 January 1938
, Sangava, São Paulo,
Brazil
,
20 m
.
MZUSP 674, #4 [2 colonies], near BIOTA Stn 205, 15 m; MZUSP 698, #29 [several colonies], Itassucê, São Sebastião, São Paulo,
Brazil
,
7 m
; MZUSP 712 (
Fig. 7
), measured specimen #3, BIOTA Stn 208; VMNH 70005, measured specimen #1, BIOTA Stn 211; VMNH 70006, BIOTA Stn 208.
Description.
Colonies encrusting shells of living and dead gastropods. Interstitial specimens encrusting shells of very small gastropods or shell grains. Zooids oval to irregular in outline, depending on shape of underlying substratum. Lateral walls composed of thickened gymnocyst with scattered tubercles. Frontal membrane underlain by cryptocystal rim with rows of granules, rim narrowed distally but orifice outline not skeletally marked. Basal walls well calcified, fortified internally with thick vertical ridges. Triangular or rounded kenozooids with a similar cryptocyst occurring between autozooids, occasionally replaced by small avicularia with semicircular mandibles (e.g.
Fig. 7
C). Ooecia indicated by a narrow thickened distal crescent of calcification.
Remarks.
Marcus (1937) described
Akatopora leucocypha
(as
Crassimarginatella
) from Santos, São Paulo state,
Brazil
, and noted similarities between his specimens and
Antropora tincta
(Hastings, 1930)
. Tilbrook (1998) suggested that
A. leucocypha
may be a junior synonym of
Antropora tincta
or
Antropora minor
(Hincks, 1880)
. Gordon (1986) had previously suggested that both
A. leucocypha
and
A. tincta
should be included in
Akatopora
; both resemble the
type
species,
Akatopora clausentina
Davis, 1934
, in having a much-reduced cryptocyst (hence a relatively large opesia) and small kenozooids in the angles between autozooids. The latter species is characterized by a pinkish color, rather than grayish to white as in
A. leucocypha
.
Akatopora leucocypha
is also distinguished by the lack of avicularian condyles and in having a semicircular mandible (as shown in Marcus 1937, pl. 8, fig. 20A).
Antropora minor
, also reported from
Brazil
(Vieira
et al.
2008) is distinguished by a wider proximal cryptocyst and the presence of large vicarious avicularia (Tilbrook 1998). Although it has a somewhat reduced cryptocyst, it has many small avicularia at the interzooidal angles and probably should be retained in
Antropora
.
Although
A. leucocypha
colonies are more abundant on larger substrata, we include the species here because it is common on sand- to gravel-size shells (e.g. those of very small gastropods) and shell fragments.
As
in
Alderina smitti
, the Brazilian specimens are larger in size than Floridan specimens (Winston & Håkansson 1986). Opesia measurements are comparable, indicating a more extensive cryptocyst in Brazilian zooids.
Distribution.
Cape Hatteras to
Brazil
, Caribbean and Gulf of
Mexico
.