Family PHORIOPPNIIDAE Gordon & d'Hondt, 1997

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Introduction

The family was introduced by Gordon & d'Hondt (1997) for four genera of bryozoans with erect colonies, either articulated or with an encrusting base. The zooids have a lepralioid frontal with pseudopores and marginal septular pores. Brooding zooids are generally enlarged, with large ovicells. The ovicells are 'schizoporellid' in construction, with both layers fused and with the ectooecial layer perforated by pores similar to those of the frontal surface (Gordon & d'Hondt 1997).

The genus Quadriscutella was introduced for several Tertiary fossil, and one Recent species from southern Australia by Bock & Cook (1993), who assigned the genus to the family Euthyrisellidae. Colonies of Quadriscutella are erect, anchored by rhizoids, and have branches of internodes which arise from special kenozooids. Autozooid frontal shields have a pair of frontal septular pores and sometimes other pores. The oval orifices are formed by the junction of four adjacent shields. Ovicelled zooids are large, with a dimorphic orifice. The ovicell is very large, sometimes followed by a modified autozooid. Avicularia are absent. Recent Q. papillata has paired frontal papillae arising from the cuticle covering the shield. Colonies form nodal masses up to 100 mm wide and high, the very large ovicells being visible to the naked eye. All specimens have been obtained from southern Australia, from depths of 30 to 100 m.

The genera Phorioppnia, from New Caledonia, and Oppiphorina from New Caledonia, the Kermadec Ridge and New Zealand, were also described by Gordon & d'Hondt (1997).

Fossil phorioppniids are common in the Tertiary of Victoria, the earliest representative being Punctiscutella punctata (Bock & Cook), from the Oligocene.

Diagnosis

Colony erect, branched, sometimes nodal, well calcified. Nodes formed by cuticular kenozooids arising from special sites among autozooids. Zooids with lepralioid frontal shields, sometimes with numerous pseudopores. Orifices either formed by four adjacent shields, or subterminal. Avicularia absent. Ovicells large, hyperstomial, porous.

General References

Bock, P.E. & Cook, P.L. 1993. Quadriscutella gen. nov. (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata) from the Tertiary and Recent of Victoria and South Australia. Alcheringa 17: 159-171

Gordon, D.P., & d'Hondt, J.-L. 1997. Bryozoa: Lepraliomorpha and other Ascophorina from New Caledonian waters. (Résultats des Campagnes MUSORSTOM, Vol. 18, Crosnier, A., ). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris [1936-1950] 176: 9-124

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