Description of a new species of Reteporella (Bryozoa: Phidoloporidae) from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica) and the possible functional morphology of avicularia

Figuerola, B., Ballesteros, M. and Avila, C. 2013. Description of a new species of Reteporella (Bryozoa: Phidoloporidae) from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica) and the possible functional morphology of avicularia. Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 94: 6673. A new species of cheilostome bryozoan, Reteporella rosjoarum sp. n., belonging to the family of Phidoloporidae is described from the Weddell Sea (Antarctica) and illustrated with binocular microscope and SEM micrographs. SEM has been used to observe the essential characters to describe the new species and to compare it to similar species. Three samples from three different stations were collected at 332597 m depth during the ANT XXI/2 cruise of the R/V Polarstern (AWI, Bremerhaven, Germany) using a bottom trawl. The new species is characterized by the presence of giant vicarious spherical avicularia. The distinctive morphology of these avicularia discriminates this species from Antarctica congeners. The variability in avicularian morphometrics demonstrates that intraspecific variation between localities (Austasen and Drescher Inlet) may exist. It is also interesting to relate the morphology of the avicularia with the possible functions in Cheilostomata.