Family FILISPARSIDAE Borg, 1944

Museums

Regional Maps

Introduction

The family was defined by Borg (1944) for the genus Filisparsa, with the Cretaceous type species F. neocomiensis d'Orbigny (1853).

The genus Nevianipora (frequently misspelled Nevianopora) is one of the more common of Australian cyclostomes. This genus was assigned to the Filisparsidae by Hayward & Ryland (1995). At least three species are recorded, but the group needs revision. The species are N. interjuncta (MacGillivray 1886), N. pulcherrima (Kirkpatrick 1890) and N. macgillivrayi (Stach 1936). N. pulcherrima was described and illustrated by Hayward & Ryland (1995), and N. interjuncta by Bock (1982). N. macgillivrayi was described by Stach from fossil material, but he included Recent records in the synonymy. The genus is thus distributed from Bass Strait north to Torres Strait, and is also found in many other regions. Colonies have erect multiserial branches, typically about 1-2 mm in width, anastomosing frequently. Zooids are comparatively large, and are arranged in connate groups of three to five, or are distinct, particularly near the midline of the branches. The zooid peristomes of marginal zooid project well beyond the branch margins. Frontal and basal surfaces are pierced by numerous fine pseudopores. The basal surface is marked with growth ridges. Gonozooids are elongate and inflated, on the frontal surface of the branch, and partially enclose several of the peristomes. The ooeciostome is a short tube, subterminal to the gonozooid, similar to the zooids in diameter, but with a flattened orifice.

Additional material from Bass Strait in the Museum of Victoria appears to belong to a different genus of the Filisparsidae, but is not yet described.

Nevianipora species are found from depths of about 10 m, where they are often in association with algae, down to depths as great as 500 m.

Fossils of Nevianipora species are found in the Miocene of Victoria (MacGillivray 1895) and the Pliocene of South Australia (Stach 1936).

Diagnosis

Colony well calcified, erect, often associated with algae. Branches multiserial and anastomosing, basal surface with growth ridges. Autozooids in connate rows, walls with fine pseudopores, marginal peristomes prominent. Gonozooids elongated and inflated, on the frontal side of the branch, enclosing several peristomes. The ooeciostome is subterminal, with a short tube and flattened orifice.

General References

Bock, P.E. 1982. Bryozoans (Phylum Bryozoa). pp. 319-394 in Shepherd, S.A. & Thomas, I.M. (eds). Marine Invertebrates of Southern Australia. Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia Adelaide : Government Printer Part 1 491 pp.

Borg, F. 1944. The stenolaematous Bryozoa. Further Zoological Results of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition, 1901-1903 3(5): 1-276

D'Orbigny, A. 1853. Paléontologie Française, Terrains Crétacés. Paris : Victor Masson Vol. V, Bryozoaires. 473-984 pp.

Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. 1995. Bryozoa from Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. 2. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 38(2): 533-573

Kirkpatrick, R. 1890. Report upon the Hydrozoa and Polyzoa collected by P.W. Bassett-Smith, Esq. Surgeon R.N. during the survey of the Tizard and Macclesfield Banks, in the China Sea, by H.M.S. "Rambler", commander W.U. Moore. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 6. 11-24, pls 3-5

Macgillivray, P.H. 1886. Descriptions of new or little-known Polyzoa. Part 9. Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 22: 128-139

Macgillivray, P.H. 1895. A monograph of the Tertiary Polyzoa of Victoria. Transactions of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 4: 1-166

Stach, L.W. 1936. South Australian Cainozoic Bryozoa, 1. Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia 60: 127-136

History of changes