Bryozoa of Floridan Oculina reefs
Judith L Winston
Zootaxa
2016
4071
1
1
81
[151,366,1537,1563]
Gymnolaemata
Smittinidae
Smittina
Animalia
Cheilostomatida
51
52
Bryozoa
species
forticula
sp. nov.
Material examined. Holotype: VMNH. no. 70642.
Etymology.Latin, forticulus, diminutive of fortis, strong, brave, alluding to the spear-shaped frontal avicularium.
Diagnosis. Smittinaspecies having an orifice with a low, broad anvil-shaped lyrula, a medial hastate suboral avicularium, and a small, heavily calcified ooecium with few pores.
Description.Colony encrusting calcareous substrata ( Fig. 29A, B), small. Zooids oval to rhombic with evenly porous frontal shield, small round pores sunken in thick, rough-textured calcification, and a few larger pores at zooid margins. Primary orifice transversely oval, with low, broad anvil-shaped lyrula ( Fig. 29D) and surrounded by thick-walled peristome, circular distally and laterally, but with an almost rectangular pseudosinus proximally. One zooid of unique colony with median suboral oval avicularium with triangular rostrum ( Fig. 29C). Ooecia appearing as small, thickly calcified caps, bumpy and mostly imperforate, but with a very few small pores, fused to distal rim of the peristome, not closed by zooid operculum ( Fig. 29A, B).
Remarks.This species is unusual in having a medial suboral avicularium rather than one connected more closely to the peristome and orifice as in most Smittinaspecies. The ovicells are almost imperforate, but the colony has been bored, probably by blue-green algae, which has added more holes to the specimen illustrated. Only one colony of this species was found, but the suite of characters it possesses is unique.
Distribution. Atlantic Florida Oculinareefs.