Trematooecia protecta Osburn, 1940

(Figs 28–29, Table 6)

Trematooecia protecta Osburn, 1940: 459, pl. 8, figs 66–71. [Puerto Rico]

Trematooecia protecta: Osburn 1947: 45 . [Caribe and Colombia]

Trematooecia protecta: Shier 1964: 645 . [Florida]

Material examined. Holotype: USNM 11831, Trematooecia protecta, R. Osburn det., 1940, P. R. 2381, off Guanica Harbor, Puerto Rico, 18 m. Additional specimens: USNM 603779, Holoporella protecta, Puerto Rico, 2370, off Guanica Harbor, 9 m. , Acc. No. 208837; USNM 603780, Acc. No. 208837, Trematooecia protecta, R. Osburn det., 1915, off Guanica Harbor, 33 m.

Description. Colony encrusting, uni- to multilaminar. Zooids of initial layer almost rectangular, those from frontally budded layers irregularly polygonal, generally longer than wide, delimited by a raised line. Frontal shield heavily calcified, marginally punctured by 8–33 pseudopores. Primary orifice small relative to frontal shield, more or less transversely D-shaped, wider than long, sunken, with arcuate anter and wider, weakly concave poster, delimited by 2 barely developed condylar swellings near the proximolateral corners. Secondary orifice surrounded by 4–6 (often 4) solid tubercles. Suboral, elliptical, laterally directed avicularium sometimes between the oral tubercles. Frontal avicularia elliptical, usually 1, rarely 2, per zooid, placed at zooidal proximal margin. Interzooidal avicularia as long as zooids, large, with obovate rostrum, wider than long, proximal edge rounded, distal edge deeply concave; calcified palate occupying more than half rostral length, foramen rounded. Ooecium subglobose, wider than long, inclined to zooid surface; ectooecium heavily calcified, sometimes with grooves and tubercles, with frontal semicircular membranous area.

Remarks. Osburn (1940) did not described the weak lateral condyles mentioned by Shier (1964) and seen by SEM (Fig. 29B). Osburn (1940) and Shier (1964) also described only small elliptical frontal avicularia in T. protecta, but examination of specimens from Puerto Rico, however, revealed the presence of large obovate interzooidal avicularia in this species (Fig. 29C).

Trematooecia protecta is characterized by the shape of the primary orifice with its weak condyles, suboral avicularium, interzooidal avicularia with obovate rostrum, elliptical frontal avicularia and ectooecium with frontal circular membranous area. The species resembles T. aviculifera, T. osburni and T. ridleyi in having encrusting colonies, a subglobose ooecium and an ectooecium with a frontal circular membranous area, but it differs in having at least weakly developed condyles. Other differences pertain to the frontal avicularia and position of the ooecium (inclined in T. protecta, horizontal in T. aviculifera). Trematooecia osburni also differs in lacking suboral avicularium and solid tubercles around the secondary orifice.

Distribution. Atlantic: Florida to Colombia.