Fredericella carinata Wood 2022, n. sp.

Fredericella carinata n. sp.

(Fig. 13)

Material examined. Holotype: ZEV 5022, collected 3 March, 1908 in the canal at Cuttack, State of Odisha, by Nelson Annandale, originally labeled, “ Fredericella indica. ” On narrow leaves and stems.

Diagnosis. Statoblasts bear a thin carina extending from each valve around the entire periphery.

Etymology. The specific epithet, meaning “keeled” in Latin, refers to the narrow carina encircling the statoblasts at the suture.

Description. Colonies attached to slender leaves (possibly Vallisneria), showing a typical fredericellid form with narrow tubules and widely spaced zooids; free branches not seen in these specimens. Statoblasts clear and smooth without ornamentation, suture occurring along a rough, finely toothed carina about 10 µm wide; when separated each valve retaining its portion of the carina (Fig. 13a); dimensions of two statoblasts 350 µm x 195 µm and 365 µm x 165 µm, including carina.

Distribution. The species is known only from its type locality in Odisha State.

Remarks. Specimen ZEV 5022 includes abundant material in good condition, with many small colonies, each bearing several statoblasts. Fredericella carinata n. sp. could be easily mistaken for F. sultana (Blumenbach, 1779) were it not for the carina at the suture. A similar feature occurs in Fredericella sultana crenulata DuBois-Marcus, 1946 (Fig. 13c), although in that species the two valves are densely pitted, similar to F. indica and F. borealis.