Trematooecia ridleyi (Kirkpatrick, 1890)

Almeida, Ana C. S., Souza, Facelucia B. C., Menegola, Carla M. S., Sanner, Joann & Vieira, Leandro M., 2014, Taxonomic review of the family Colatooeciidae Winston, 2005 (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata), with description of seven new species, Zootaxa 3868 (1), pp. 1-61 : 48-49

Trematooecia ridleyi (Kirkpatrick, 1890)

( Figs 30–31 , Table 7 )

Cellepora ridleyi Kirkpatrick, 1890: 505 , fig. 2. [Fernando de Noronha]

Trematooecia ridleyi: Vieira et al. 2008: 29 [ Brazil; checklist]

Material examined. Holotype: NHMUK 1888.4 .16.2, Cellepora ridleyi, R. Kirkpatrick det., 1888, Fernando de Noronha , Brazil . Additional specimens: NHMUK 1899.7 .1.3348, Trematooecia turrita, G. Busk coll., John Adams Bank ( Victoria Bank , Espirito Santo, Brazil) ; UFBA 465 , Trematooecia ridleyi, A.C. Almeida det., 2013, Banco Besnard, 19°40’ S and 38°08’ W . UFBA 623 , Trematooecia ridleyi, A. C. Almeida det., 2013, Baía de Todos os Santos, 13°10’S and 38°25’W, 15 m.

Description. Colony encrusting, uni- to multilaminar. Zooids polygonal, globose, longer than wide, delimited by raised margins. Frontal shield heavily calcified, marginally punctured by 10–20 pores and frequently bearing a tubercle-like process. Primary orifice large relative to frontal shield, centered, more or less transversely D-shaped, wider than long, sunken, with arcuate anter and weakly concave poster. No condyles. Peristomial tubercles 3–5 (often 5), solid. Suboral, elliptical, laterally directed avicularium. Frontal avicularia elliptical, rare, often 1 per zooid (rarely 2), placed at proximal zooidal margin. Interzooidal avicularia as long as zooids, longer than wide, with spatulate rostrum, proximal edge rounded and distal edge deeply concave; calcified palate attaining half rostral length; foramen oval. Ooecium subglobose, horizontal to zooid surface, ectooecium heavily calcified, with groove lines and tubercles and a frontal semicircular membranous area.

Remarks. Trematooecia ridleyi is characterized by encrusting colonies, 10–20 marginal pores in the frontal wall shield, 3–5 solid peristomial tubercles, spatulate interzooidal avicularia and an ectooecium with a frontal circular membranous area.

Three other species of Trematooecia also have encrusting colonies and a similar ectooecium: T. aviculifera , T. osburni and T. protecta . Differences pertain to the frontal avicularia (none in T. aviculifera ) and the number of peristomial tubercles (3–5 in T. ridleyi , 4–6 in T. aviculifera ). Trematooecia ridleyi differs from T. osburni in having a suboral avicularium and peristomial processes. Trematooecia protecta has a forward-angled ooecium and 4–6 peristomial tubercles.

Distribution. Atlantic: Brazil.

Figures

FIGURE 30. Trematooecia ridleyi (Kirkpatrick, 1890). A–D, NHMUK 1888.4.16.2, holotype, Brazil. A, entire encrusting colony. B, primary orifice and ovicelled zooid. C, D, ovicelled zooids and spatulate interzooidal avicularia. Scale bars: A = 500 µm; B, D = 100 µm; C = 400 µm.

FIGURE 31. Trematooecia ridleyi (Kirkpatrick, 1890). A–D, UFBA 623, Brazil. A, part of encrusting colony. B, autozooids, some with a suboral avicularium. C, group of zooids showing primary orifices. D, ovicelled zooids. Scale bars: A, B = 500 µm; C, D = 200 µm.