Bugulina flabellata

Ruiz-Velasco, Sofía, Ros, Macarena, Guerra-García, José M. & López-Fé, Carlos M., 2025, Fouling bryozoans in recreational marinas of the Canary Islands (North-Eastern Atlantic) with new records of non-indigenous and cryptogenic species, Zootaxa 5656 (1), pp. 1-63 : 15

Bugulina flabellata (Thompson in Gray, 1848) Cryptogenic

( Fig. 4 ; Table 4)

Avicularia flabellata Thompson in Gray, 1848: 106. Bugula flabellata : Ryland 1960: 82, pl. 2-A, D, figs 2A, B, 9A–C; Lichtschein de Bastida & Bastida 1980: 381, fig. 7; Gordon

& Mawatari 1992: 21, pl. 5E; Hayward & Ryland 1998: 216, fig. 66; De Blauwe 2009: 220, figs 218–220; López-Gappa et al. 2022: 384, fig. 17. Bugulina flabellata : Ramalhosa et al. 2017: 5, fig. 3.

Figured material. Big Canary Sports Dock (27/06/23) (1C on rope).

Other material examined. Garachico (20/06/23) (2C on buoy) ( MNCN 25.03/4452), Taliarte (26/06/23) (1C on buoy), Marina Lanzarote (29/06/23) (1C on buoy).

Description. Colonies erect and densely branching. Branches in series of 3–8 autozooids in width ( Fig. 4A, B ). Autozooids elongate and rectangular, with the frontal membrane constituting almost the whole frontal area. Outer distal corner of the autozooids with three spines, and two spines in the inner distal corner ( Fig. 4C ). Pedunculate avicularia located generally below the spines of the outer distal margin. Avicularia bigger on the outer zooids in comparison to the inner zooids. Avicularia beak hooked precipitously ( Fig. 4A, C ). Ooecia globular ( Fig. 4D ).

Remarks. Bugulina flabellata is characterized by a rectangularly hooked beak of the avicularia, distinguishing this species from other similar Bugulina species found in Macaronesia, such as Bugulina calathus minor ( Ryland, 1962) , Bugulina fulva ( Ryland, 1960) , and Bugulina simplex ( Hincks, 1886) , that have a downcurved beak. In addition to the shape of the avicularia, our material differs from B. fulva in the arrangement of the autozooids: they are biserial in B. fulva , while B. flabellata forms series of 3–8 autozooids ( Hayward & Ryland 1998). Compared to B. simplex , our specimens differ in the spine patterns, B. simplex typically has a 1:1 spine formula, whereas B. flabellata has a 3:2 spine formula in the marginal autozooids, and 2:2 spine in inner autozooids. Additionally, avicularia placement differs, B. simplex has avicularia only in outer autozooids, while B. flabellata presents them in both inner and outer zooids. Finally, the ooecium shape is hemispherical in B. simplex but globular in B. flabellata .

Distribution and status. Bugulina flabellata is considered native to western European waters, including the Mediterranean Sea, being commonly observed in this area ( Ryland 1960; Koçak et al. 2019). It has been widely introduced around the world, reaching the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of America ( Vieira et al. 2012; López-Gappa et al. 2022), also India ( Menon & Nair 1972), Australia ( Keough & Ross 1999) and New Zealand ( Inglis et al. 2006). It seems that this species was recorded for the first time in Madeira in 2013 ( Ramalhosa et al. 2017), with previous misidentifications ( Alves & Cocito 2002). In the Canary Islands it has been reported since 2018, occurring in port environments ( Moro et al. 2018). Considering its relatively recent report and its affinity to port environments in the Canarian archipelago, we agree with Png-Gonzalez et al. (2023) and consider it cryptogenic in this area.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Bugulina flabellata (Thompson in Gray, 1848).A.View of the colony throughSEM and B. through stereomicroscope. C. Outer and inner spines plus outer avicularium. D. Ovicelled zooids. Scale bars: A, B, D = 200 µm; C = 40 µm.