On chronostratigraphic calibration using Bryozoa: suggestions from two Paleogene case studies

The bryozoan species present in each Paleocene and Eocene chronostratigraphic unit of the Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plains in North America, and the Paris Basin in France are analysed. The comparison between species exclusive to each unit considered (EX), non-exclusive species, but appearing for the first (FA) or last time (LA), species existing before and after the unit considered (BA), and, finally, the total number of species present (T), shows the chronostratigraphic discriminating value of this fauna within the Paleogene. The same analysis was previously applied to bryozoan Paleocene and Eocene families and genera, according to the inormation. It is also interesting to note the significant renewal of bryozoan fauna in both basins during the Middle Eocene.

The larval morphology and the effects of sound frequencies on the settlement behaviour of the biofouling Bryozoan: Watersipora subatra

<p>Biofouling is a global issue, it is an ongoing expense for the maritime industry, billions of dollars are spent annually due to increased fuel consumption, research, maintenance and upkeep. The toxicity of anti-fouling paints is also a serious issue for the marine environment, because of the non-selective nature of the toxins they contain, they also affect non-target species, potentially harming local ecosystems. Biofouling acts as a vector for invasive species, allowing these species to spread world-wide, establish themselves in new ecosystems and potentially alter the biodiversity of the native flora and fauna. These issues with biofouling have seen an increase in research into the prevention of settlement of unwanted organisms on ship hulls; especially biofriendly, alternative options to toxic anti-fouling paints. A holistic approach to researching fouling species is vital in reducing and preventing biofouling, and with the increase in human activity in the marine environment, the effects of anthropogenic sounds on marine organisms is of growing interest. The potential effect of vessel noise on the larvae of bryozoan species has yet to be explored even though the Phylum Bryozoa is notorious for biofouling species. The morphology of larvae is also important in understanding the ecology of marine species, as various factors that influence the larval stage of a species can have latent effects in other life stages. Insight into the morphology of fouling larvae is important in understanding their life histories to develop more robust antifouling methods. Bryozoan larvae have a diverse range of morphological features to increase their survivability; a number of structures have been identified in aiding locomotion, phototaxis behaviour, suitable habitat exploration and metamorphosis. There is still a lot of speculation over the purpose of different structures and whether they have the potential to be used in other behaviours (such as auditory capabilities). This thesis focuses on the biofouling bryozoan species, Watersipora subatra, and examines their larval morphology and behaviour to better understand their early ecology and identify potential structures with auditory capabilities. SEM images of the larvae were used to identify a number of sensory organs that could potentially detect sound. A sound experiment was also conducted to test whether their larvae respond to different frequency levels (100Hz, 500Hz and 1000Hz). There was no significant difference in the settlement rate at the end of a 24-hour period between the different treatments. However, the larvae exposed to the lower frequency (100Hz) tended to be slower at settling in the initial 8 hours of the experiment, which is the optimal time to settle to increase post-settlement survivability. There is the potential for the larvae of bryozoan species to respond to sound frequencies, although more research is needed to fully elucidate their potential to sense sound and to potentially aid in developing a biofriendly, preventative solution to biofouling.</p>

The larval morphology and the effects of sound frequencies on the settlement behaviour of the biofouling Bryozoan: Watersipora subatra

<p>Biofouling is a global issue, it is an ongoing expense for the maritime industry, billions of dollars are spent annually due to increased fuel consumption, research, maintenance and upkeep. The toxicity of anti-fouling paints is also a serious issue for the marine environment, because of the non-selective nature of the toxins they contain, they also affect non-target species, potentially harming local ecosystems. Biofouling acts as a vector for invasive species, allowing these species to spread world-wide, establish themselves in new ecosystems and potentially alter the biodiversity of the native flora and fauna. These issues with biofouling have seen an increase in research into the prevention of settlement of unwanted organisms on ship hulls; especially biofriendly, alternative options to toxic anti-fouling paints. A holistic approach to researching fouling species is vital in reducing and preventing biofouling, and with the increase in human activity in the marine environment, the effects of anthropogenic sounds on marine organisms is of growing interest. The potential effect of vessel noise on the larvae of bryozoan species has yet to be explored even though the Phylum Bryozoa is notorious for biofouling species. The morphology of larvae is also important in understanding the ecology of marine species, as various factors that influence the larval stage of a species can have latent effects in other life stages. Insight into the morphology of fouling larvae is important in understanding their life histories to develop more robust antifouling methods. Bryozoan larvae have a diverse range of morphological features to increase their survivability; a number of structures have been identified in aiding locomotion, phototaxis behaviour, suitable habitat exploration and metamorphosis. There is still a lot of speculation over the purpose of different structures and whether they have the potential to be used in other behaviours (such as auditory capabilities). This thesis focuses on the biofouling bryozoan species, Watersipora subatra, and examines their larval morphology and behaviour to better understand their early ecology and identify potential structures with auditory capabilities. SEM images of the larvae were used to identify a number of sensory organs that could potentially detect sound. A sound experiment was also conducted to test whether their larvae respond to different frequency levels (100Hz, 500Hz and 1000Hz). There was no significant difference in the settlement rate at the end of a 24-hour period between the different treatments. However, the larvae exposed to the lower frequency (100Hz) tended to be slower at settling in the initial 8 hours of the experiment, which is the optimal time to settle to increase post-settlement survivability. There is the potential for the larvae of bryozoan species to respond to sound frequencies, although more research is needed to fully elucidate their potential to sense sound and to potentially aid in developing a biofriendly, preventative solution to biofouling.</p>

A redescription of Stenopora and the type species Stenopora tasmaniensis Lonsdale, 1844 (Trepostomata, Bryozoa)

Type material for Stenopora tasmaniensis Lonsdale, 1844 was lost in the late nineteenth century, and subsequent descriptions of the genus have been based on material incorrectly assigned to the type species. A neotype is erected for S. tasmaniensis from the original type locality and the genus redescribed. The genus exhibits ramose, frondescent, encrusting, and massive colony morphologies, diaphragms are absent, and acanthostyles of a single size surround each aperture. This single size of acanthostyles aligns with the original type species description; however, it differs from the subsequently accepted genus description and may result in existing species being removed from the genus. Analysis of zooecial characters of a single colony exhibiting both frondescent and ramose morphologies reveals statistically significant differences between subsampled sections, despite being from the same colony. Differences relate to details of zooecial parameters and are not controlled by colony morphology. This variation within a single colony confirms the importance of using qualitative characters alongside quantitative measures in defining Paleozoic bryozoan species.

Phylum Bryozoa Ehrenberg, 1831 in the first twenty years of Zootaxa

This short account is an invited contribution to the Zootaxa special volume ‘Twenty years of Zootaxa.’ Zootaxa was first published on 28 May 2001. Between this date and December 2020, 116 papers were published in Zootaxa that mention Bryozoa, comprising mostly descriptions of new species and higher taxa, but also including molecular sequencing (e.g. Fehlauer-Ale et al. 2011; Taylor et al. 2011; Franjevic et al. 2015), invasive-species research (e.g. Ryland et al. 2014; Vieira et al. 2014), checklists (e.g. Vieira et al. 2008), classification (e.g. Bock & Gordon 2013), bryozoans as associates of other organisms (e.g. Rudman 2007; Chatterjee & Dovgal 2020; Chatterjee et al. 2020), metazoan phylogeny (e.g. Giribet et al. 2013), biographies of historical figures who worked on bryozoans (e.g. Calder & Brinkmann-Voss 2011; Calder 2015) and a catalogue of the fossil invertebrate taxa described by William Gabb (including 67 bryozoan species) (Groves & Squires 2018). Of the 116 papers, 15 (13%) were open-access.

Early Miocene coral reef-associated bryozoans from Colombia. Part I: Cyclostomata, “Anasca” and Cribrilinoidea Cheilostomata

This is the first of two comprehensive taxonomic works on the early Miocene (ca. 23–20 Ma) bryozoan fauna associated with coral reefs from the Siamaná Formation, in the remote region of Cocinetas Basin in the La Guajira Peninsula, northern Colombia, southern Caribbean. Fifteen bryozoan species in 11 families are described, comprising two cyclostomes and 13 cheilostomes. Two cheilostome genera and seven species are new: Antropora guajirensis n. sp., Calpensia caribensis n. sp., Atoichos magnus n. gen. n. sp., Gymnophorella hadra n. gen. n. sp., Cribrilaria multicostata n. sp., Cribrilaria nixor n. sp., and Figularia bragai n. sp. Eight species are identified only at genus level and remain in open nomenclature. Of the species found, 27% have erect colonies and 73% encrusting colonies. Both types contributed to the reef framework and produced sediment. The observed bryozoan diversity was higher in the barrier reefs than in the lagoonal patch reefs. UUID: http://zoobank.org/5c8468ef-31b0-4e7e-ba93-60a2e2f30b76.

Bryozoans from the lower Silurian (Telychian) Hanchiatien Formation from southern Chongqing, South China

Eight bryozoan species are described from the Hanchiatien Formation (lower Silurian, Telychian) of southern Chongqing, South China. Four species are new: the trepostomes Asperopora sinensis n. sp., Trematopora jiebeiensis n. sp., and Trematopora tenuis n. sp., and the fenestrate Moorephylloporina parvula n. sp. One species, the cystoporate Hennigopora sp. indet., is described in open nomenclature. Moorephylloporina parvula n. sp. is eurytopic, occurring in all types of facies within the bioherms. Erect Moorephylloporina Bassler, 1952, Trematopora Hall, 1852, and Leioclema Ulrich, 1882 formed pioneering communities on weakly cemented substrata, whereas encrusting Fistulipora M‘Coy, 1849, Hennigopora Bassler, 1952, and Asperopora Owen, 1969 occurred on hardgrounds and formed densely compact framestones. Robust branched Trematopora and Leioclema tend to occur out of the reef core (framework) where they could have formed reef-flank thickets in more agitated conditions. The generic composition of the studied fauna correlates with other localities in South China, and they show general paleobiogeographic relations to Siberia and Indiana, USA. UUID http://zoobank.org/3326dd2f-7c9e-43bc-9dab-84047b274f89

First record of a freshwater bryozoan species in Cuba: Plumatella repens (Linnaeus, 1758) (Phylactolaemata, Bryozoa)

The discovery of Plumatella repens floatoblasts in wetlands of the La Niña Bonita Reservoir and the Ciénaga de Zapata Swamp, Cuba, constitutes the first record of a freshwater bryozoan species on the island and extends the distribution range of the species in the insular Caribbean. Unlike the inland waters of the Lesser Antilles the greater availability of water and lower salinity are likely the main factors that determine the distribution of P. repens in the Greater Antilles.

Taxonomy and diversity of coelobite bryozoans from drift coral cobbles on Co To Island, northern Vietnam

There has been no previous report detailing the taxonomy of marine bryozoans along the coasts of Vietnam. Here we report on the taxonomy and diversity of bryozoans collected among drift coral cobbles from a beach in the tropical Co To archipelago, Gulf of Tonkin, northern Vietnam. We detected 27 bryozoan species (23 cheilostomes, four cyclostomes) in a coelobite assemblage inhabiting crevices in the cobbles, and holes made by boring molluscs. The degree of bryozoan preservation varied greatly, suggesting that the cobbles had accumulated on the beach over a period of months to years, or even decades. Coral reefs in the Co To archipelago underwent a catastrophic decline in 2003–2008, and it is unclear whether the bryozoan assemblage reflects past diversity, present diversity remaining in the coral rubble, or both. We describe six new species: Parasmittina acondylata n. sp., Metroperiella cotoensis n. sp., Microporella tonkinensis n. sp., Rhynchozoon setiavicularium n. sp., R. latiavicularium n. sp., and Disporella phaohoa n. sp. All but two of the previously described species were already known from the Central Indo-Pacific coastal biogeographical realm of Spalding et al. (2007), which includes Vietnam. We report the third Recent record of the thalamoporellid Dibunostoma reversum (Harmer, 1926), which is quite similar to and might be conspecific with the lower Miocene species Thalamoporella transversa Guha & Krishna, 2004; while it is premature to synonymize the two, we transfer T. transversa to Dibunostoma, as D. transversum. The calcareous, sheet-like, encrusting foraminiferan Planorbulina larvata was prominent in the coelobite assemblage and was often observed in substrate competition with bryozoans. A limited analysis of competitive interactions indicated that the encrusting bryozoans in the coelobite assemblage encountered P. larvata more often than they encountered other bryozoans, and that P. larvata out-competed bryozoans for substrate, reinforcing a growing sense of the importance of encrusting foraminifera in tropical and subtropical hard-substrate communities.