Bryozoa of the Early Eocene Tumaio Limestone, Chatham Island, New Zealand

<div><p>The rich bryozoan fauna living in the sea around New Zealand at the present day is among the best known globally. However, despite the abundance of bryozoans in Cenozoic deposits onshore, little is known about these faunas and therefore the origin of the modern fauna. Here we describe a previously unstudied bryozoan fauna from the Tumaio Limestone of Early Eocene age on Chatham Island, totalling 77 species (22 Cyclostomata, two Ctenostomata and 53 Cheilostomata). The following new taxa are introduced: <i>Plagioecia zatoni</i> sp. nov., <i>Mesenteripora jamesi</i> sp. nov., <i>Platonea dilatata</i> sp. nov., <i>Zagorsekia</i> gen. nov., <i>Heteropora scholzi</i> sp. nov., <i>Conopeum stamenocelloides</i> sp. nov., <i>Tumaiella dieffenbachi</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Marssonopora connexa</i> sp. nov., <i>Amphiblestrum paleogenicum</i> sp. nov., <i>Dactylostega spiralis</i> sp. nov., <i>Pyrisinella primazelandiae</i> sp. nov., <i>Chaperiopsis cookae</i> sp. nov., <i>Pseudothyracella campbelli</i> sp. nov., <i>Cladobryopastor philipi</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Floridina elegans</i> sp. nov., <i>Onychocella subtriangulata</i> sp. nov., <i>Melychocella bilamellata</i> sp. nov., <i>Melychocella obliqua</i> sp. nov., <i>Aspidostoma clava</i> sp. nov., <i>A. gelasinus</i> sp. nov., <i>A. twinn</i> sp. nov., <i>A. lamellatum</i> nom. nov., <i>Micropora chathamica</i> sp. nov., <i>Andreella dubia</i> sp. nov., <i>Cellaria bicuspidata</i> sp. nov., <i>C. gigas</i> sp. nov., <i>C. inarticulata</i> sp. nov., <i>C. palatum</i> sp. nov., <i>Quasitrilaminopora curiosa</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Moyanopora hugoi</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Arachnopusia dimorpha</i> sp. nov., <i>Exechonella chathamensis</i> sp. nov., Diedroporidae fam. nov., <i>Diedropora gravabilis</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Adeonellopsis incompta</i> sp. nov., <i>Multescharellina pisiformis</i> sp. nov., <i>Chataimulosia revelator</i> sp. nov., <i>Porella tiorioriensis</i> sp. nov., <i>Hemicyclopora dissidens</i> sp. nov., <i>Hemicyclopora ventricosa</i> sp. nov., <i>Exochella abigailae</i> sp. nov., <i>E. reidae</i> sp. nov., <i>E. woodae</i> sp. nov., <i>E. linearis</i> sp. nov., <i>Illusiopora bifax</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>I. recta</i> gen. et sp. nov., <i>Gigantopora modesta</i> sp. nov., <i>G. grandis</i> sp. nov., <i>Porina turrita</i> sp. nov., <i>Lacerna ordinaria</i> sp. nov., <i>Phonicosia sinuosa</i> sp. nov., <i>Macrocamera obesa</i> sp. nov., <i>Siphonicytara primitiva</i> sp. nov., <i>S. litotes</i> sp. nov., <i>Osthimosia aurora</i> sp. nov., <i>O. curiosa</i> sp. nov. and <i>Reteporella mediocris</i> sp. nov. Keys are given for New Zealand Cenozoic species of <i>Aspidostoma</i> and <i>Cellaria</i>. The Tumaio bryozoan fauna shows a high degree of endemicity, contains the earliest known records of several cheilostome families, and small colonies of encrusting species that may represent the oldest example of an ‘interstitial’ bryozoan fauna.</p><p><a href="http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2865FDB5-D812-4102-B5E2-638549D16C95" target="_blank">http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2865FDB5-D812-4102-B5E2-638549D16C95</a></p></div

SIM2

This movie shows the capture of a corophiid gammaridean amphipod by two bird’s-head avicularia. One avicularium has trapped an antenna whilst the second avicularium, an abdominal appendage. During its struggle to free itself, the abdominal appendage breaks off freeing the abdomen

SIM1

Functional innovation of polymorphic modules in a colony of Bugula flabellata: Whilst the autozooids feed by a ring of ciliated tentacles, the avicularia are active deterrents to invertebrate epibionts and here have trapped the appendages of a corophiid gammaridean amphipod

Habitat-Forming Bryozoans in New Zealand: Their Known and Predicted Distribution in Relation to Broad-Scale Environmental Variables and Fishing Effort

<div><p>Frame-building bryozoans occasionally occur in sufficient densities in New Zealand waters to generate habitat for other macrofauna. The environmental conditions necessary for bryozoans to generate such habitat, and the distributions of these species, are poorly known. Bryozoan-generated habitats are vulnerable to bottom fishing, so knowledge of species’ distributions is essential for management purposes. To better understand these distributions, presence records were collated and mapped, and habitat suitability models were generated (Maxent, 1 km² grid) for the 11 most common habitat-forming bryozoan species: <i>Arachnopusia</i><i>unicornis</i>, <i>Cellaria</i><i>immersa</i>, <i>Cellaria</i><i>tenuirostris</i>, <i>Celleporariaagglutinans</i>, <i>Celleporinagrandis</i>, <i>Cinctipora</i><i>elegans</i>, <i>Diaperoecia</i><i>purpurascens</i>, <i>Galeopsis</i><i>porcellanicus</i>, <i>Hippomenella</i><i>vellicata</i>, <i>Hornerafoliacea</i>, and <i>Smittoideamaunganuiensis</i>. The models confirmed known areas of habitat, and indicated other areas as potentially suitable. Water depth, vertical water mixing, tidal currents, and water temperature were useful for describing the distribution of the bryozoan species at broad scales. Areas predicted as suitable for multiple species were identified, and these ‘hotspots’ were compared to fishing effort data. This showed a potential conflict between fishing and the conservation of bryozoan-generated habitat. Fishing impacts are known from some sites, but damage to large areas of habitat-forming bryozoans is likely to have occurred throughout the study area. In the present study, spatial error associated with the use of historic records and the coarse native resolution of the environmental variables limited both the resolution at which the models could be interpreted and our understanding of the ecological requirements of the study species. However, these models show species distribution modelling has potential to further our understanding of habitat-forming bryozoan ecology and distribution. Importantly, comparisons between hotspots of suitable habitat and the distribution of bottom fishing in the study area highlight the need for management measures designed to mitigate the impact of seafloor disturbance on bryozoan-generated habitat in New Zealand waters.</p> </div

<i>Galeopsis</i><i>porcellanicus</i> known distribution (left), predicted suitable habitat (right), and fitted responses curves (marginal).

<p>For the predicted distribution, logistic probabilities less than the 10^th percentile presence value indicated cells were unsuitable habitat. Probabilities of 0.4–0.6 indicated habitat suitability typical of the presence records, values of 0.6–0.8 and 0.8–1 indicated favourable and highly suitable habitat, respectively. Black cells had missing data in one or more environmental layer. Independent records are layed over the predictions. Marginal response curves show how the prediction changes for different values of each variable when all other variables were at their average sample value. Individual response curves are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0075160#pone.0075160.s003" target="_blank">Figure S3</a>. For the categorical variable Sediment type: 1 = deep ocean clays; 2 = calcareous gravel; 3 = volcanic; 4 = calcareous mud; 5 = gravel; 6 = mud; 7 = sand; 8 = calcareous sand.</p

<i>Smittoideamaunganuiensis</i> known distribution (left), predicted suitable habitat (right), and fitted responses curves (marginal).

<p>For the predicted distribution, logistic probabilities less than the 10^th percentile presence value indicated cells were unsuitable habitat. Probabilities of 0.4–0.6 indicated habitat suitability typical of the presence records, values of 0.6–0.8 and 0.8–1 indicated favourable and highly suitable habitat, respectively. Black cells had missing data in one or more environmental layer. Independent records are layed over the predictions. Marginal response curves show how the prediction changes for different values of each variable when all other variables were at their average sample value. Individual response curves are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0075160#pone.0075160.s003" target="_blank">Figure S3</a>. For the categorical variable Sediment type: 1 = deep ocean clays; 2 = calcareous gravel; 3 = volcanic; 4 = calcareous mud; 5 = gravel; 6 = mud; 7 = sand; 8 = calcareous sand.</p

Isolation and Stereospecific Synthesis of Janolusimide B from a New Zealand Collection of the Bryozoan <i>Bugula flabellata</i>

NMR-directed screening of New Zealand marine organisms has led to the isolation of the modified tripeptide janolusimide B from the common invasive bryozoan <i>Bugula flabellata</i>. The structure was established by NMR and MS analysis, degradative hydrolysis and derivatization, and stereoselective fragment synthesis. The bryozoan natural product is an <i>N-</i>methyl analogue of janolusimide, previously reported from the Mediterranean nudibranch <i>Janolus cristatus</i>, a species known to prey upon bryozoa

<i>Hippomenella</i><i>vellicata</i> known distribution (left), predicted suitable habitat (right), and fitted responses curves (marginal).

<p>For the predicted distribution, logistic probabilities less than the 10^th percentile presence value indicated cells were unsuitable habitat. Probabilities of 0.4–0.6 indicated habitat suitability typical of the presence records, values of 0.6–0.8 and 0.8–1 indicated favourable and highly suitable habitat, respectively. Black cells had missing data in one or more environmental layer. Independent records are layed over the predictions. Marginal response curves show how the prediction changes for different values of each variable when all other variables were at their average sample value. Individual response curves are shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0075160#pone.0075160.s003" target="_blank">Figure S3</a>. For the categorical variable Sediment type: 1 = deep ocean clays; 2 = calcareous gravel; 3 = volcanic; 4 = calcareous mud; 5 = gravel; 6 = mud; 7 = sand; 8 = calcareous sand.</p

Predicted hotspots of habitat-forming bryozoans.

<p>Summed binary predictions of suitable habitat for multiple bryozoan species identified using 10^th percentile training presence threshold. Predictions were summed for <i>Cellaria</i><i>immersa</i><i>, </i><i>Celleporariaagglutinans</i><i>, </i><i>Celleporinagrandis</i><i>, </i><i>Cinctipora</i><i>elegans</i><i>, </i><i>Diaperoecia</i><i>purpurascens</i><i>, </i><i>Galeopsis</i><i>porcellanicus</i><i>, </i><i>Hippomenella</i><i>vellicata</i> and <i>Smittoideamaunganuiensis</i> and are shown for A) the Extended Continental Shelf; B) Greater Cook Strait, Banks Peninsula and Mernoo Bank; and C) around southern South Island, including Puysegur ‘Bank’, Foveaux Strait and Otago shelf. 0-8 = the number of species predicted to find suitable habitat. Cells for which data in one or more environmental layer were missing are black.</p

Protected seafloor in New Zealand.

<p>The spatial relationship between predicted bryozoan hotspots and areas closed to commercial fishing (no trawl, Danish seine or commercial dredge (amateur dredge allowed)), seamount closures, marine reserves/marine protected areas, and benthic protection areas in the New Zealand: A) across the Extended Continental Shelf; B) west of Fiordland (south-west South Island); C) on the eastern Chatham Rise, and around Chatham, Bounty and Antipodes Islands; D) off northern North Island; and E off northern South Island. Cells for which data in one or more environmental layer were missing are black.</p