Bryozoa of Floridan Oculina reefs
Judith L Winston
Zootaxa
2016
4071
1
1
81
CT94
Canu & Bassler, 1928
Canu & Bassler
1928
[151,681,1262,1288]
Gymnolaemata
Calloporidae
Ammatophora
Animalia
Cheilostomatida
15
16
Bryozoa
species
typica
Material examined.AMNH 594, Floridinella typica; VMNH no. 70604, 70605; USNM no. 1283232.
Description.Colonies encrusting calcareous substrata such as dead mollusc shell or Oculinabranches ( Fig. 7A). Zooids roughly oval to diamond shaped, about 0.57 mm long, 0.415 mmwide) with large rounded-triangular to bell-shaped opesia occupying half or more of zooid length, bordered by coarsely granular cryptocyst that is narrow laterally, broad proximally ( Fig. 7B, C). Cryptocystal rim minutely granular. Gymnocyst very narrow, more developed proximally where it forms a broad solid tubercle, rounded to conical in shape. No avicularia. Ooecium imperforate with smoothly curved proximal rim, much broader than long, marked by a pair of large tubercles like those on gymnocyst. Internal communication pores recessed between thick pillars of calcification; internal distal walls of zooids with ooecia appear smooth and hollowed out, lacking the calcified pillars typical of autozooids ( Fig. 7C, D).
Remarks.Canu & Bassler (1928a) included this species in the fossil genus FloridinellaCanu & Bassler, 1917, now considered a junior synonym of AmmatophoraNorman, 1903. The Floridan species is very similar to the sand-fauna species Ammatophora arenaceafrom Brazil(Winston & Vieira 2013) in overall appearance, but the former has larger zooids (0.396–0.702 by 0.324–0.582 mmvs 0.360–0.576 by 0.198–0.306 mm). Like the eastern Atlantic typespecies Ammatophora nodulosa(Hincks, 1877), the two western Atlantic species are found on subtidal to shelf-depth shell fragments. Ammatophora typicais a different, and apparently much less widespread, species than the other ‘ typica’ described in the same publication, Dacryonella typica, now Antropora typica.
Distribution.Florida Atlantic shelf, including Oculinareefs.