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Family MARGARETTIDAE Harmer, 1957


Compiler and date details

July 2001 - Dr Philip Bock

  • Margarettidae Harmer, 1957.
  • Tubucellariidae Busk, 1884.

 

Introduction

The family Margarettidae was introduced by Harmer (1957) for species previous referred to the genus Tubucellaria. The family included one genus, Margaretta Gray (1843). Colonies are erect, branched and nodal, attached by cuticular rhizoids arising from an erect ancestrula. Each internode is cylindrical and may be slightly curved, and is composed of from 2 to 8 alternating series of long, tubular zooids. Each node is formed by 2 to 3 cuticular tubes, arising from a calcified 'basis rami' on the frontal side of a zooid at the distal end of the previous internode. The frontal calcification of the autozooids is profusely porous, and secondary calcification obscures the outlines of the zooids. An ascopore opens proximally to the secondary orifice, which is at the end of a tubular peristome. Spines and avicularia are absent from all species. The ovicell is immersed in the distal wall of the peristome, and brooding zooids are marked by inflated, prominent, often curved peristomes.

Margaretta has a world-wide, warm-water range from the shallow shelf. The commonest Australian species is M. hirsuta, which was described from Victoria in 1880 by MacGillivray (Bock 1982). M. hirsuta is marked by the presence of a pair of very long setiform cuticular appendages which arise from the sides of the secondary orifice, and give the colony a hairy appearance (cf. Cellaria pilosa). M. hirsuta also occurs as a Pliocene fossil from Victoria (Stach 1935). In addition, three other species have been reported from Australia. M. watersi, M. tenuis, and M. triplex all occur from Torres Strait and the Queensland coast (Harmer 1957; Ryland & Hayward 1992). A record of Tubucellaria cereoides by MacGillivray (1885) belongs to M. watersi (Harmer 1957).

 

Diagnosis

Colony erect, nodal, well calcified, arising from an erect ancestrula and anchored by numerous rhizoids. Internodes often long and curved, formed by whorls of zooids with porous, lepralioid frontal shields, and terminal orifice with tubular peristome. Ascopore present. Avicularia absent. Brooding in peristomial ovicells with elongated peristomes.

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
25-Mar-2014 BRYOZOA Ehrenberg, 1831 25-Mar-2014 MODIFIED Dr Robin Wilson (NMV) Elizabeth Greaves (NMV)
12-Feb-2010 (import)