Cuneiforma asymetrica d'Hondt & Schopf 1985

Cuneiforma asymetrica d’Hondt & Schopf, 1985

(Fig. 3D, E)

Cuneiforma asymetrica d’Hondt & Schopf, 1985: p. 930, pl. IX, figs 1–2.

Material examined. MNRJBRY-1534: Brazil, Pará state (Sta #4, 01°17.989’N – 046°46.732’W), 55 m, on sponge, 27 September 2014, collected by Fernando Moraes & Rodrigo Moura (NHo Cruzeiro do Sul).

Description. Colony delicate, erect, branched (Fig. 3D), fixed to the substrate by rhizoids.Autozooids disposed uniserially, elongate [L 674–766– 936 µm (SD 99, N 5)] with a dilated distal portion [W 116–122– 125 µm (SD 4, N 4)], and narrower elongate proximal portion [L 421–478–595 (SD 79, N 4); W 40–54– 67 µm (SD 9, N 6)] (Fig. 3D). Opesia oval [L 263–281– 307 µm (SD 16, N 5)] with a U- or V-shaped proximal end; distal corners with a small spine-like, not articulated protuberance (broken in Fig. 3E). Autozooids of the main axis budded from the basal distal wall of the mother zooid; new zooids originating a secondary branch budded from both sides of the lateral distal wall (Fig. 3D, E). Ovicell and ancestrula not observed.

Distribution. Know from the South Atlantic (Pernambuco state, Northeastern Brazil), North Atlantic (d’Hondt & Schopf 1985; Vieira et al. 2008), and off the Amazon River mouth (Pará state, Northern Brazil) (present study).

Remarks. Brettiella Gordon, 1984, also in the family Bugulidae, resembles Cuneiforma asymetrica, but includes two Pacific species characterized by reptant, uniserial, branching colonies. Zooids of Brettiella are shaped like Cuneiforma but lack operculum, spines and avicularia. Cuneiforma was erected to include only C. asymetrica characterized by the presence of an operculum and a pair of small distal spines, completely linear colony, zooids with elongated proximal portion and dilated distal portion. This species has not been found since its first description (d’Hondt & Schopf 1985), while subsequent mentions in the literature were referring to the original taxonomic record (e.g., Vieira et al. 2008; Vieira et al. 2010). A single colony with some bifurcations was examined in this study. Measurements are compatible with those of the original description (i.e., dilated region: 300 µm long, 150 µm diameter; elongated region: 400 µm long on average).