Triphyllozoon, Canu & Bassler, 1917

Boonzaaier-Davids, Melissa K., Florence, Wayne K. & Gibbons, Mark J., 2020, Novel taxa of Cheilostomata Bryozoa discovered in the historical backlogs of the Iziko South African Museum, Zootaxa 4820 (1), pp. 105-133 : 128

Triphyllozoon sp.

( Fig. 11E, F )

Material examined. SAMC-A 028793 (dry), AFR 730; SAMC-A 028791 (dry), AFR 736; SAMC-A 028905 (in ethanol), TRA 73.

Description. Colony erect, reticulate, forming a lacy network (not figured); abfrontal side with extrazooidal calcification; basal attachment thickened by extrazooidal calcification. Autozooids elongate, frontal shield smooth with a few marginal pores. Orifice sinuate, with a peristome formed by frontal thickening along half of the lateral sides of the orifice and proximally; marginal processes developing along the peristome. Paired oral spine bases. Ovicells hyperstomial; ectooecium with non-calcified trifoliate fissure (not figured). Adventitious avicularia sporadic: either small and oval, placed medially or one side of the frontal shield, laterally or proximo-laterally directed, with complete crossbar; and/or large and acutely triangular, placed medially on the frontal and directed proximally.

Remarks. Although the fragmented nature of this colony, the zooidal features allow to confidently place this species in the genus Triphyllozoon . The distinctive ectooecium with trifoliate frontal fissure was observed in one specimen, though not figured because damaged. This is the first known Triphyllozoon record from South Africa. However, the species identity remains in open nomenclature as more material is required for an accurate diagnosis.

Triphyllozoon sp. was sampled attached to hard substrata off Hondeklip Bay and Lambert’s Bay on the West Coast of South Africa at 201–459 m depth .

Figures

FIGURE 11. A–D. Reteporella ilala n. sp. A. Close-up of the orifice with beaded anter and suboral avicularium forming a pseudosinus (SAMC-A028986) (scale bar = 0.1 mm, magnified x200). B. Developing ooecium and different types of avicularia (SAMC-A029107) (scale bar = 0.2 mm, magnified x100). C. View of ovicelled zooid with ooecium covered by secondary calcification (SAMC-A029107) (scale bar = 0.2 mm, magnified x75). D. Close-up of ooecia covered by secondary calcification, except frontal fissure (SAMC-A029107) (scale bar = 0.1 mm, magnified x150). E–F. Triphyllozoon sp. (SAMC-A028905) E. View of trabeculae and autozooids (scale bar = 0.4 mm, magnified x35). F. Orifice and adventitious avicularia (scale bar = 0.2 mm, magnified x75).