Microeciella parvoris, Liu & Liu & Zágoršek, 2019

Liu, H., Liu, X. & Zágoršek, K., 2019, Cyclostome bryozoans from Qingdao, South Yellow Sea, China, Zootaxa 4603 (3), pp. 473-500 : 493-494

Microeciella parvoris n. sp.

( Figs 50–53 )

lsid:zoobank.org:act: D543A880-0975-4203-B6EB-58C65BE4D8B6

? Berenicea sarniensis Harmer, 1915: p. 114 , pl. 11, fig. 4.

Diagnosis: Colony encrusting, autozooid arranged concentrically. Gonozooid minute, on the margin of the colony, not perforated by autozooidal tubes. Ooeciopore oval, no ooeciostome observed.

Holotype. Specimen MBM 284365 from Jiaozhou Bay ( Figs 50–51 ).

Paratype. Specimen MBM 0 92366 ( Jiaozhou Bay) .

Additional material. Three more specimens from samples MBM 194696, MBM 0 92322, MBM 194656 ( Jiaozhou Bay).

Etymology. Referring to the small ooeciopore.

Description. Colonies encrusting, ‘ Berenicea’ -like. Autozooids arranged in indistinct concentric rows. Autozooidal tubes approximately 100–120 µm wide; peristomes short (100–150 µm long), perforated by minute pseudopores (diameter approximately 4–5 µm); apertures elongated oval (about 80–90 µm wide by 120–130 µm long). Budding margins formed by 2–3 rows of incompletely developed autozooids; basal lamina visible. Gonozooid minute (ca. 580–600 µm wide by 500–530 µm long), spreading over 4–5 autozooidal tubes, but not perforated by these tubes; frontal walls perforated by pseudopores larger (diameter 6–8 µm) than those of autozooidal tubes. Ooeciopore oval, transversely elongate (90–100 µm wide, 35–38 µm long), distally oriented, situated on the distal part of the gonozooid, close to but not joined with the neighbouring autozooidal aperture.

Remarks. This species belongs to Microeciella due to the small gonozooid not perforated by autozooidal tubes, with the ooeciopore situated on the distal part of the gonozooid.

Plagioecia sarniensis ( Norman, 1864) as described by Harmer (1915) is very similar to our specimens in the size, shape and position of the gonozooid. However, it differs in the position of the ooeciopore. As illustrated by Harmer (1915), the ooeciopore is situated more centrally on the gonozooid, and curved proximally.As we are unable to locate (and thus study) Harmer’s original material, the attribution of his specimen remains uncertain. Specimens identified as P. sarniensis Norman, 1864 have been recorded from China by Kirkpatrick (1890) but not illustrated; therefore, we are unable to comment on the attribution of these specimens. The original illustration of P. sarniensis by Norman (1864) did not show any gonozooid.

The position of the gonozooid and ooeciopore in Plagioecia anacapensis Osburn, 1953 (pl. 66, figs 9, 10), is very similar to that in our specimens, but the gonozooid of Osburn’s species is much larger.

The genus Microeciella differs from the more common genus Plagioecia in having a gonozooid not perforated by autozooidal tubes. We fully agree with the arguments made by Taylor & Wilson (1999), and list this recent material under the genus Microeciella instead of Eurystrotos Hayward & Ryland, 1985 , which is, according to Taylor & Zatoń (2008) a junior synonym of Oncousoecia .

Occurrence. Jiaozhou Bay.

Figures

FIGURES 50–53. Microeciella parvoris n. sp. Jiaozhou Bay. 50. Holotype MBM 284365, showing the position of the minute gonozooid. 51, 52. Paratype MBM 092366. 51. Minute gonozooid on the margin of the colony with an oval ooeciopore attached to the autozooidal tube. 52. Gonozooid showing a more circular ooeciopore. 53. Holotype MBM 284365, marginal gonozooid with a circular ooeciopore. Scale bars: 50 = 1 mm; 51–53 = 100 µm.