Beania correiae, Vieira, Leandro M., Migotto, Alvaro E. & Winston, Judith E., 2010

Vieira, Leandro M., Migotto, Alvaro E. & Winston, Judith E., 2010, Shallow-water species of Beania Johnston, 1840 (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) from the tropical and subtropical Western Atlantic, Zootaxa 2550, pp. 1-20 : 11-14

Beania correiae n. sp.

( Figs 16, 17 , 25 ; Table 2 )

Material examined. Holotype: MZUSP 402. Paratype: MZUSP 403.

Description. Colonies reticulate, semierect, grayish-brown in color, often heavily coated with mud and debris. Zooids with lightly calcified, curving lateral and basal walls and a membranous frontal surface; zooids joined by 6 tubular processes and attached loosely to the substratum by tubular radicles. Frontal surface constricted into two parts, a smaller oval opercular area surrounded by a halo of 8 long, symmetrical stout spines plus 5 long distally directed spines at its base, and a larger oval proximal region with 14–20 pairs of spines (often 18) arched over the frontal membrane. Long spines project outwards from the lateral walls on each side of the frontal membrane; 3 regular clusters of 1–3 spines (often 2): the first clusters placed closest to constriction below the halo, the other 2 placed in distal third and half portion of zooid. Long spines on basal wall; 2–5 spines (often 5) in distal and 4–5 spines (often 5) in proximal basal portion of zooid. Tubular radicles in proximo-lateral portion of zooids. Avicularia and ovicells absent.

Remarks. Beania correiae n. sp., named in honour of Dr Monica Dorigo Correia (Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Brazil) who encouraged the first author to study bryozoans, is characterized by eight long stout spines in the distal halo plus five distally directed spines at its base, and often up to 16 pairs of long spines arched over the frontal membrane and overlapping each other across its midline. Colonies of B. correiae resemble B. cylindrica , but the last differs from the former in having bigger zooids and fewer spines around the distal halo and the frontal membrane.

Biological notes. Beania correiae grew on rocks found in shrimp bycatch in the south of Alagoas state ( Brazil), in water about 15 m deep. It was also found on bryozoans (e.g. Celleporaria spp.) and shells ( Table 6). Some colonies were heavily coated with mud and debris, like B. americana and B. metrii n. sp., the other reticulate species described here.

Distribution. Atlantic. Brazil: Alagoas (present study).

Figures

FIGURES 14 – 17. SEM of reticulate species of Beania from the Brazilian coast. 14 – 15. Beania americana n. sp., MZUSP 415 (Holotype), São Paulo state; 14, portion of colony; 15, close-up of oral region of a zooid; 16 – 17, Beania correiae n. sp., MZUSP 402, Alagoas state; 16, portion of a colony; 17, close-up of a zooid.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Light micrography of reticulate species of Beania from the Brazilian coast. 24. Beania americana n. sp., MZUSP 415 (Holotype), São Paulo state. 25. Beania correiae n. sp., MZUSP 403 (Paratype), Alagoas state; 26 – 29. Beania metrii n. sp., MZUSP 401 (Holotype), Santa Catarina state; 26, colony; 27, distal end of colony; 28, close-up of a zooid; 29, close-up of a distal zooid of colony.