Cryptopora Jeffreys, 1869

Bitner, Maria Aleksandra & Logan, Alan, 2016, Recent Brachiopoda from the Mozambique-Madagascar area, western Indian Ocean, Zoosystema 38 (1), pp. 5-41 : 10-12

Genus Cryptopora Jeffreys, 1869

TYPE SPECIES. — Cryptopora gnomon Jeffreys, 1869 , by monotypy of Jeffreys (1869: 136).

Cryptopora boettgeri Helmcke, 1940 ( Fig. 4 ; Table 3)

Cryptopora boettgeri Helmcke, 1940: 286-290 , figs 29-33, 35- 36. — Muir-Wood 1959: 292. — Cooper 1973a: 6; 1973b: 11. — Zezina 1985: 113; 2010: 1179.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Mozambique Channel. MAINBAZA, stn CP 3136, 1 bivalved specimen. — Stn CC 3152, 1 bivalved specimen. — Stn CC 3154, 1 bivalved specimen.

South Madagascar. ATIMO VATAE, stn DW 3552, 1 bivalved specimen. — Stn DW 3553, 1 bivalved specimen. — Stn CP 3585, 56 bivalved specimens. — Stn CP 3592, 70 bivalved specimens, 2 ventral valves, 2 dorsal valves. — Stn CP 3615 – 1 bivalved specimen.

DEPTH RANGE. — 264- 636 m.

MEASUREMENTS. — See Table 3.

REMARKS

The genus Cryptopora is represented by three species in the Indian Ocean : C. boettgeri Helmcke, 1940 , C. curiosa Cooper, 1973 and C. maldivensis Muir-Wood, 1959 ( Logan 2007; Bitner 2008). C. boettgeri was originally described by Helmcke (1940) from the Agulhas Bank off the Cape of Good Hope, South Africa at 500-564 m depth and from near Dar-es- Salaam, Tanzania at 404 m. It was later recorded from the West coast of South Africa at 3045 m by Cooper (1973b) and from four stations to the West, South and East of South Africa by Hiller (1994). This species is one of the commonest found in the present study, with over 100 specimens from two localities in South Madagascar. Examination of the holotype of C. boettgeri ( ZMB Bra 2019 in the Humboldt Museum, Berlin) indicates a close external similarity in size and shape to specimens from Madagascar, while internal features of the dorsal valve of the latter, such as the hatchet-shaped septum ( Fig. 4M ) and the large, flattened and serrated endings of the crura ( Fig. 4L, M ) are also in accord with Helmcke’s species. It should be noted that C. maldivensis , the third Indian Ocean cryptoporid, has a similar-shaped septum and serrate crural terminations to C. boettgeri but has narrower and smoother deltidial plates.

Figures

FIG. 4. — Cryptopora boettgeri Helmcke, 1940: A, dorsal view of complete immature specimen (MNHN IB-2013-34), South Madagascar, South Point Barrow, ATIMO VATAE, stn CP 3585, 549-576 m; B, C, dorsal view of complete specimen (MNHN IB-2013-35) and enlargement of the umbonal part (C), South Madagascar, South-West Point Barrow, ATIMO VATAE, stn CP 3592, 450-455 m; D, dorsal view of complete specimen (MNHN IB-2013-36), Mozambique Channel, Zambeze transect, MAINBAZA, stn CC 3152, 443-445 m; E, F, dorsal view of complete specimen (MNHN IB-2013-37) and enlargement of posterior part (F), stn CP 3592; G-I, inner view of ventral valve (G), and enlargement and tilted views (H, I) of umbonal part to show elevated deltidial plates, teeth and dental plates (MNHN IB-2013-38), stn CP 3592; J-M, dorsal valve (MNHN IB-2013-39), inner and oblique views (J, K), and enlargements (L, M) to show details of crura and septum, stn CP 3592. All SEMs. Scale bars: A, H, I, M, 500 µm; B, D, E, G, J, K, 1 mm; C, F, L, 200 µm.