Family PALUDICELLIDAE Allman, 1844

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• Paludicellidae Allmann, G.J. 1844. Synopsis of the genera and species of zoophytes inhabiting the fresh waters of Ireland. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 1 13: 328-331.

Introduction

Jebram (1973) introduced the superfamily Paludicelloidea to include the family Paludicellidae. D'Hondt (1985) also included the families Immergentiidae and Aethozoontidae, but these monogeneric families seem to have more in common with the Victorellina, and they are dealt with here under that suborder.

The Paludicellina includes one family, the Paludicellidae, which is monogeneric and monospecific and entirely fresh-water in its distribution. Paludicella articulata is characterised by its uniserial, creeping or loosely attached autozooids which are elongated and almost tubular, with a terminal orifice raised at the end of a distinct peristome. Zooids may reach a length of 3 mm. Lateral buds arising at the distal end of zooids are the origins of further uniserial branches. The lophophore has heen recorded as having a range of 10-18 tentacles (Prenant & Bobin 1956). Very little is known of the sexual reproduction. Embryos are not brooded internally, the released eggs adhere to the cuticle of the parent zooid and develop into larvae (Hayward 1985 and Ström 1977). As in most bryozoans which live in fresh-water, asexual reproduction by means of hibernacula occurs. These are developed as small fusiform zooids with dense, dark cuticle arising as lateral buds, or internally within zooids which have degenerated tentacles and viscera.

Paludicella has been reported from stones and submerged wood in lakes, and in pipes of waterworks from Europe. It is also known from, Asia to Japan, from North and South America and from New Zealand. There is only one Australian record, that of Goddard (1909) from New South Wales.

Diagnosis

Colony creeping, loosely adherent, zooids transparent, uniserial, occasionally branching, orifice terminal on a long peristome. Embryos developing attached to the outer cuticle, hibernacula produced seasonally; confined to freshwater habitats.

General References

Goddard, E.J. 1909. Australian fresh-water Polyzoa. Part 1. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 34: 487-496

Hayward, P.J. 1985. Ctenostome Bryozoans. pp. 1-169 in Kermack, D.M. & Barnes, R.S.K. (eds). Synopses of the British Fauna. n.s London : E.J. Brill for the Linnean Society Vol. 33.

Jebram, D. 1973. Stolonen-Entwicklung und Systematik bei den Bryozoa Ctenostomata. Zeitschrift für Zoologische Systematik und Evolutionsforschung 11: 1-48

Prenant, M., & Bobin, G. 1956. Bryozoaires, premiere partie, Entoproctes, Phylactolèmes, Ctenostomes. Faune de France, 60. Paris : Fédération Française des sociétés de sciences naturelles pp. 1-398.

Ström, R. 1977. Brooding patterns of Bryozoans. pp. 23-89 in Woollacott, R.M., & Zimmer, R.L. (eds). Biology of Bryozoans. New York : Academic Press xvii 566 pp.

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