Placidoporella insperata (Jullien, 1882) Jullien, 1882

Souto, Javier, Berning, Björn & Ostrovsky, Andrew N., 2016, Systematics and diversity of deep-water Cheilostomata (Bryozoa) from Galicia Bank (NE Atlantic), Zootaxa 4067 (4), pp. 401-459 : 445-447

Placidoporella insperata (Jullien, 1882) n. comb.

( Figs 108–113 , Table 19 )

Microporella insperata Jullien, 1882: 9 , pl. 13, fig. 12; Calvet 1907: 405.

Material examined. Holotype (by monotypy): MNHN 2552, Microporella insperata, Travailleur , 13 June 1881, station Dr. 1, NW Spain, 43°0.66' N, 09°37.52' W, 2018 m. Other material: Travailleur, 14 June 1881, station Dr. 2 (1re sér.), NW Spain, 1068 m, Calvet coll., one colony. Material from Galicia Bank: MNCN 25.03/3972, locality DR01; MNCN 25.03/3973, locality DR03; MNCN 25.03/3974, 3975, locality DR04; OLL 2015/917, locality DR10; OLL 2015/918, locality DR08.

Description. Colony encrusting, uniserial, bifurcating at angle of about 35-45°. Zooids oval, large, very broad and flat, frontal shield vitreous, only slightly convex, surface finely granular, entirely covered with 200–300 pseudopores except for area around orifice that is slightly raised to form low peristome; distal peristomial wall dropping off vertically towards gently sloping distal zooidal wall that is imperforate except for 1–2 distal communication pores around which kenozooidal ooecium is formed; vertical zooidal walls absent except for distal Ovicell hyperstomial, terminal; ooecium kenozooidal, developing on distal frontal wall of maternal zooid; coelomic cavity of ooecium communicating with visceral coelom via 1–2 pores positioned on otherwise imperforate distal wall of maternal zooid; ectooecium calcified, smooth with 7–8 large suboval pseudopores, circumperipherally covered by imperforate secondary calcification of maternal zooid, surface finely granular. Avicularia absent. Ancestrula not observed.

SD, standard deviation; N, number of measurements

Remarks. Microporella insperata Jullien, 1882 was introduced for a single small fragment from 2018 m depth on the continental slope of NW Spain, just east of Galicia Bank. This specimen, which comprises only two autozooids (one ovicelled), is identical with the one figured by Jullien (1882, pl. 13, fig. 2), and should be considered as holotype by monotypy. As this specimen is too fragile to be handled for SEM it was studied using light microscopy only ( Fig. 108 ). Comparison with material from Galicia Bank suggests that they belong to the same species, although additional specimens from the continental slope are required for definite confirmation.

Placidoporella insperata was collected at 11 Galicia Bank localities between 826 and 1697 m depth. It mainly encrusts rocks covered by a manganese crust, whereas a few colonies were found on corals and balanid plates.

Figures

FIGURES 108 – 113. Placidoporella insperata: 108, holotype specimen (light microscopy); 109, general view of colony (MNCN 25.03 / 3974); 110, 111, autozooids with ovicells (MNCN 25.03 / 3974); 112, general view of autozooid (MNCN 25.03 / 3975); 113, interior view of frontal shield.

Tables

TABLE 19. Measurements (in mm) of Placidoporella insperata.

	Mean	SD	Minimum	Maximum	N
Autozooid length	1.242	0.0993	1.022	1.340	11
Autozooid width	0.784	0.1965	0.234	0.955	11
Orifice length	0.163	0.0099	0.144	0.177	11
Orifice width	0.215	0.0149	0.195	0.241	11
Ooecium length	0.285	0.0064	0.280	0.289	2
Ooecium width	0.382	0.0198	0.368	0.396	2