77. Okenia zoobotryon (Smallwood, 1910)

(Figure 5 Q)

Material examined. FCM, 1 spc., H = 9 mm, JOC. PTH, 1 spc., H = 5 mm, MCC. TA, 2 spcs, H = 8–10 mm, IVICCM000006. AR, 2 spcs, H = 8-9 mm, GCC. AR, 1 spc., PNC.

Ecology. On mangrove roots or submerged wood posts near surface, associated with the bryozoans Zoobotryon spp. The spawn is a coiled translucent cord with 8–10 white eggs inside.

Distribution. Bermuda, Cuba, Mexico, Belice, Bahamas, Jamaica, Martinique, Puerto Rico, USA, Venezuela (La Restinga, Margarita: Grune et al. 2015).

Remarks. An illustration of O. zoobotryon can be seen in Valdés et al. (2006) as Okenia sp. 2, while the species named as O. zoobotryon is B. polycerelloides (Ortea et al. 2009) . Pola (2014) designated a neotype from the type locality, discussed the distribution of the species, and included B. polycerelloides in the list of synonymies of O. zoobotryon without further discussion. The occurrence of this species in Venezuela constitutes the southern geographical limit.