The morphology of the boring ctenostome family Immergentidae

JOHNSON, MILDRED J.; SMITH, ABIGAIL M.; LÓPEZ GAPPA, J.; SCHWAHA, THOMAS

Dublin

Conferencia; 19th International Bryozoology Association; 2022

International Bryozoology Association

The family Immergentidae consists of a single genus of endolithic ctenostome bryozoans, Immergentia. Their enantiomorphic aperture, etched in the housing substrate such as mollusc shells, distinguish these species from other boring bryozoans. Since Silen’s partial histological sections on I. californica in 1947, more species have been assigned to this genus. However, differentiating species based solely on external characteristics such as zooid shape, aperture shape and colony growth patterns presents a challenge. Here, we present the soft body morphology of Immergentia collected from different locations and attempt to provide further species descriptions using zooidal characteristics such as tentacle number, size, and gut morphology to distinguish species. To achieve this, we examine whole mounts of zooids after decalcification of shells, prepare histological sections and produce 3D reconstructions to reveal additional zooidal characteristics. The combination soft body morphology and external characteristics could ease future identification of immergentiids.