Fenestulipora, gen. nov., an unusual Cyclostome Bryozoan from New Zealand and Indonesia

Abstract

The distinctive cyclostome bryozoan Tubulipora cassiformis Harmer, 1915, is revised and made the type species of the new monospecific genus Fenestulipora. The characteristic reticulate colonies of F. cassiformis form planar filtration meshworks comprising primary branches, with biserially arranged feeding zooids opening on one side of the meshwork, linked by lateral kenozooidal dissepiments. This colonial morphology is reminiscent of the diverse but distantly related Palaeozoic bryozoan Fenestellawith which the new genus is compared and contrasted. The geographical distribution of Fenestulipora cassiformis is unusual, comprising two tropical records from Indonesia and three temperate records from New Zealand, all in deep or moderately deep water.