Licornia sp. 1

Sonar, Mohan A., Pawar, Ravi V. & Wayal, Dnyaneshwar V., 2022, Newly discovered species of cheilostomatid Bryozoa from the Miocene of western Kachchh, Gujarat, India, European Journal of Taxonomy 821, pp. 16-39 : 21

? Licornia sp. 1

Fig. 3 ; Table 2

Material examined

INDIA • fossiliferous limestone at cliff section of Lakdi Nadi near Tera Village ; Burdigalian, lower Miocene, Chhasra Formation; 23°22′19″ N, 68°58′10″ E; Jan.–Feb. 2012; Sonar leg.; GIS/B 0439 .

Description

Colony erect biserial, branching. Autozooids club-shaped, arranged in alternate longitudinal rows ( Fig. 3A ). Cryptocyst barely developed, when present descending into opesia. Gymnocyst extended for ⅓ of frontal surface, occupied by ooecia of the proximal zooid if fertile ( Fig. 3B ). Opesia rounded to oval. Scutum not preserved. Distal oral spine bases stout, usually two internal, distal spine bases obscured by the ovicells ( Fig. 3C ). Lateral avicularia large, on outer distolateral corner of each autozooid, laterally directed, with acute rostrum, with somewhat raised tip. A frontal vibracula obliquely placed distolaterally with small rootlet foramen. Ooecia broad, conspicuous, slightly tilted away from axis of branch, ectooecium smooth, perforated by 12–15 unequal sized pseudopores.

Remarks

A single, weathered specimen was available to study, which does not allow to confirm the presence or details of a scutum or oral spine bases, the presence of frontal avicularia or axial vibracula. Hence, the species is left in open nomenclature until better preserved material is available. The present species differs from the Recent Indo-Pacific species Licornia diadema ( Busk, 1852) in the absence of frontal avicularia, comparatively large lateral avicularia and the absence of a raised ooecial rim (see Vieira et al. 2013: 1914–1915, fig. 3e–f). The Recent south Pacific Australian species Licornia prolata Tilbrook & Vieira, 2012 differs in the presence of frontal avicularia, small lateral avicularia and the number of frontal pores on the ooecia.

Figures

Fig. 3.?Licornia sp. 1 (GIS/B 0539). A. Frontal view of the colony autozooids, ooecium and avicularia. B. Enlargement of the colony showing autozooids and ooecium. C. Close-up of a single autozooid with ooecium having the ectooecium perforated by unequal sized pores.