New species and new records of bryozoans from Galicia (NW Spain)

Abstract

Although the bryozoological fauna of Galicia (NW Spain) is probably the best known of the whole Iberian Peninsula, and perhaps one of the better known in Europe, new studies continue to provide new knowledge. A new species, Schizotheca galaica sp. nov., is described. Eleven species are newly recorded in Galicia: Aetea longicollis, Parellisina curvirostris, Copidozoum planum, Glabrilaria corbula, Haplopoma sciaphilum, Schizomavella (Schizomavella) mamillata, Fenestrulina asturiasensis, Fenestrulina barrosoi, Buffonellaria muriella, Schizotheca divisa and Dentiporella saldanhai; two of them (B. muriella and S. divisa) are also reported for the first time in Iberian waters; four others (Antarctothoa galaica, F. asturiasensis, F. barrosoi and D. saldanhai) are reported for the first time since their original descriptions, and SEM images of A. longicollis and F. asturiasensis are provided for the first time. Moreover, the range of geographical distribution of some species is expanded: the record of S. divisa is the southernmost to date, while the records of S. mamillata, F. barrosoi and D. saldanhai are the most northerly to date. The presence of other four species in Galician waters is confirmed and we document the permanence and range extension of two species recently introduced into our waters (Tricellaria inopinata and A. galaica).

Watersiporidae (Bryozoa) in Iberian waters: an update on alien and native species

“…Moreover, in the same area, two other foreign species appeared at the same time: Tricellaria inopinata d’Hondt & Occhipinti Ambrogi, 1985, most likely introduced from the Venetian lagoon together with clams for cultivation (Fernández-Pulpeiro et al 2002); and Antarctothoa galaica (César-Aldariz, Fernández-Pulpeiro and Reverter-Gil, 1999), probably introduced from the Southern Hemisphere via shipping (Hughes et al 2008). The three species not only survived in Galicia, but they have also dispersed (Reverter-Gil et al 2019 and present work). Watersipora subatra has been slowly extending westward along the Galician coast: Xove in 2007; estuaries of Ferrol and Vigo in 2010; and Cíes Islands in 2012 (see material examined and Fig.…”

Bryozoan diversity on a whale bone: an uncommon substrate from the continental shelf off NW Spain

“…Fenestrulina asturiasensis Álvarez, 1992c is another poorly known species, described from the north of Spain at 120 m depth on a brachiopod shell. It was only recently reported from this whale bone by Reverter-Gil et al (2019a), who also figured the species using SEM for the first time.…”

“…It was covered by many bryozoan colonies. The species have already been reported in several taxonomic papers (Reverter-Gil and Fernández-Pulpeiro 1999a, 1999b, 2001Reverter-Gil et al 2019a, 2019b (Table 1). The bryozoan fauna of the Iberian Peninsula as a whole is well known, although the studies are irregularly distributed, both geographically and bathymetrically.…”

“…Thirty-three species of bryozoans were identified growing on the whale bone (Table 1) (for taxonomic remarks, see also Reverter-Gil and Fernández-Pulpeiro 1999a, 1999b, 2001Reverter-Gil et al 2019a, 2019b. For 15 of these species, the results show an extension of the known depth range in the area.…”

“…About 6000 species have been described, although the estimated total number is 11,000 (Appeltans et al 2012). Most bryozoans brood their embryos in specialized brooding cavities (ovicells or gonozooids) and release non-planktotrophic trochophore larvae; these spend only minutes to a few hours in the water column before settlement, metamorphosis and foundation of a new colony (Reverter-Gil et al 2016).…”