On Powellithecidae fam. nov., a new Pliocene to Recent bryozoan family endemic to New Zealand, with the description of Powellitheca gen. nov. (Bryozoa, Cheilostomata)
oleh: Emanuela Di Martino, Paul D. Taylor, Dennis P. Gordon, Lee Hsiang Liow
| Format: | Article |
|---|---|
| Diterbitkan: | Consortium of European Natural History Museums 2016-06-01 |
Deskripsi
A new cheilostome bryozoan genus, <em>Powellitheca</em> gen. nov., is erected here for three species from New Zealand, one of which has been previously assigned to <em>Emballotheca</em> Levinsen, 1909, but which differ significantly from the Australian type species of <em>Emballotheca</em>, <em>E. quadrata</em> (MacGillivray, 1880). Notably, whereas <em>Emballotheca</em> has a cormidial orifice (i.e., formed by numerous neighbouring zooids), and lepralielliform ooecia, the orifice of <em>Powellitheca</em> gen. nov. is formed by single zooids and ooecia are of the microporelliform type. The introduction of a new family, Powellithecidae fam. nov., becomes necessary because of the nonconformity of <em>Powellitheca</em> gen. nov. with other known families having microporelliform ooecia. In addition to the Recent type species <em>Powellitheca terranovae</em> gen. et sp. nov., one other new Recent species, <em>P. labiosa</em> gen. et sp. nov., and a Plio-Pleistocene fossil species, <em>Monoporella waipukurensis</em> Waters, 1887, are assigned to the new genus.