Bryopesanser lobiones Tilbrook, 2012, n. sp.

Bryopesanser lobiones n. sp.

(Figures 41, 42, Table 1)

Mastigophora dutertrei var. pesanseris: Kirkpatrick 1888 (part): 77.? Escharina pesanseris: Hayward 1988 (part): 314.

Material. Holotype (here selected): NHMUK 1934.10.6.17, Mauritius. Other material examined: NHMUK 1888.1.25.13, Mauritius. V. Robillard col.; NHMUK 1934.10.6.17, Mauritius; NHMUK 1888.3.8.4, Mauritius, 128 m (70 fms).

Description. Autozooids 0.70–0.90 x 0.40–0.60 mm, hexagonal or irregularly polygonal, distinct, separated by shallow grooves. Frontal shield covered by small ‘pimples’, slightly convex, evenly perforated with numerous small multiporous pores, areolar septular pores at each lateral and proximal angle. Primary orifice longer than wide, ca 0.14 x 0.12 mm excluding sinus, anter deeply arched, proximal border sloping proximally from midline, condyles denticulate, sinus drop-shaped, longer than wide. Oral spines 7, evenly spaced. Proximal peristome flared, developed into a raised, spire-like median mucro early in ontogeny. Avicularia originating lateral to most proximal pair of spines, rostra medium-sized, open-ended distally, crossbar complete, distally directed, mandibles fan-shaped. Ovicell hyperstomial, producing a thickened proximal edge, with a raised process frontally. Ovicellate zooids with six oral spines, the distalmost pair incorporated into ovicell.

Etymology. Greek lobos, an elongated projection (diminutive), alluding to the tall mucrones, extensions to the oral peristome.

Remarks. Bryopesanser lobiones n. sp. is characterised by the details of the primary orifice with its proximal border sloping proximally from the midline and the peristome developed into a spire-like median mucro. The ‘pimpled’ sculpturing of the frontal shield and the presence of multiporous frontal pores is also characteristic. This suite of characters enables B. lobiones to be distinguished from other species in the genus.

Bryopesanser lobiones n. sp. like B. capitaneus, as both possess a raised peristomial mucro and multiporous frontal pores. However, whereas B. lobiones produces a ‘pimpled’ frontal shield and a proximal oral border that slopes proximally from the midline, B. capitaneus has a smooth frontal shield and a straight proximal oral border with condyles sloping proximo-medially.

Distribution. Bryopesanser lobiones n. sp. is known only from Mauritius.