Arbocuspis bellula

Overview

Scientific Name: Arbocuspis bellula

Phylum: Bryozoa

Class: Gymnolaemata

Order: Cheilostomatida

Family: Electridae

Genus: Arbocuspis

Species:

bellula (also known as Electra bellula (Bock 2015)) [Describe here as A. iricolor]

Native Distribution

Origin Realm:

Tropical Eastern Pacific, Temperate South America, Tropical Atlantic, Central Indo-Pacific, Western Indo-Pacific, Temperate Northern Atlantic, Temperate Australasia

Native Region:

Origin Location:

Note: It is likely that this is a multi-species complex. (M. Otani, pers. comm.) Tropical Eastern Pacific [Galapagos] Santa Cruz Island (Chiriboga et al. 2012; Osburn 1952; Hastings 1930, cited in Hayward and Ryland 1995) STATED [As Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon)] Galapagos Islands. (Hastings 1930, cited in Osburn 1950) STATUS NOT STATED Temperate South America [Brazil] Bahia de Santos; Espirito Santo (Hill 2001; Almeida et al. 2015; Marcus 1937 and Marcus 1953, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED Tropical Atlantic [Africa] Cape Verde; West Africa; Ghana (Hincks 1881 and Cook 1985, cited in Hayward & Ryland 1995; Cook 1968 and Hincks 1881, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [Caribbean] St. Vincent; Curaçao (Hill 2001; Bock 2011; Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [Mexico] Gulf of Mexico (Moretzsohn et al. 2015; Bock 2011) STATUS NOT STATED [US] Gulf of Mexico (Hill 2001; Bock 2011; Lagaau 1963 and Winston 1982, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [Brazil] Litoral Norte; Ilha do Francês (Hill 2001; Almeida et al. 2015; Marcus 1937 and Marcus 1953, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [As Membranipora bellula var.bicornis (Synonymized taxon)] St. Vincent, Cape Verde Islands (Hincks 1881) STATUS NOT STATED [As Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon)] Indian River, Fort Pierce, Florida. (Winston & Middleton (unpublished), cited in Winston 1977) STATUS NOT STATED [As Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon)] West Africa: vicinity of Lagos, Nigeria, and mouth of River Densu, Ghana. (Cook 1968, cited in Winston 1977) STATUS NOT STATED Central Indo-Pacific [Australia] Lizard Island Reef; Great Barrier Reef ; Perth(OBIS 2015; Hayward and Ryland 1995; Bock 2011; Hincks 1881, cited in Fransen 1986; Lisbjreg and Petersen 2000) STATUS NOT STATED Western Indo-Pacific Indian Ocean (OBIS 2015) STATUS NOT STATED [Africa] Madagascar (Hincks 1881 and Cook 1985, cited in Hayward & Ryland 1995; Cook 1968 and Hincks 1881, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [As Membranipora bellula var. multicornis (Synonymized taxon)] Ceylon. (Hincks 1881) STATUS NOT STATED [As Membranipora bellula var.bicornis (Synonymized taxon)] Madagascar.(Hincks 1881) STATUS NOT STATED Temperate Northern Atlantic [As Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon)] N. W. Florida. (Shier 1964, cited in Winston 1977) STATUS NOT STATED Temperate Australasia [As Electra bellula var. multicornis (Synonymized taxon)] Perth, Western Australia. (Lisbjerg & Petersen 2000) STATUS NOT STATED Uncertain realm [China] (Bock 2011) STATUS NOT STATED [Argentina] Panama (Shier 1964, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [US] Florida; Gulf of Mexico (Hill 2001; Bock 2011; Lagaau 1963 and Winston 1982, cited in Fransen 1986) STATUS NOT STATED [As Membranipora bellula (Synonymized taxon)] Australia (lolality unkonwn) (Hincks 1881) STATUS NOT STATED [As Membranipora bellula var. multicornis (Synonymized taxon)] Australia (locality unknown) (Hincks 1881) STATUS NOT STATED

Geographic Range:

[Western Pacific] China seas (Bock 2011) [Western Atlantic] Florida to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean; Panama (Hill 2001; Shier 1964, cited in Fransen 1986) [Eastern Atlantic] West African coast (Hincks 1881 and Cook 1985, cited in Hayward & Ryland 1995; Cook 1968 and Hincks 1881, cited in Fransen 1986)

General Diversity:

NF

Non-native Distribution

Invasion History:

No records of invasion (Global Invasive Species Database 2016)

Non-native Region:

Not applicable

Invasion Propens:

Not applicable

Status Date Non-native:

Not applicable

Vectors and Spread

Initial Vector:

NF

Second Vector:

NF

Vector Details:

NF

Spread Rate:

NF

Date First Observed in Japan:

NF See notes

Date First Observed on West coast North America:

NF

Impacts

Impact in Japan:

NF

Global Impact:

Bryozoans are ecologically important in the Indian River Lagoon due to their feeding method. As suspension feeders, they act as living filters in the marine environment. For example, Winston (1995) reported that bryozoan colonies located in 1 square meter of seagrass bed could potentially filter and recirculate an average of 48,000 gallons of seawater per day. (Hill 2001) Filtration; clearance of algal cells (Lisbjreg and Petersen 2000)

Tolerences

Native Temperature Regime:

Warm temperate, Subtropical, Tropical

Native Temperature Range:

24.146 - 26.803°C (OBIS 2015) Known throughout tropical and subtropical zones (Lisbjreg and Petersen 2000) The yearly water temperature amplitude in Marmion lagoon, Perth, Western Australia is between 16ºC and 24ºC (e. g. Prata 1989, cited in Lisbjerg & Petersen 2000) Warm temperate, Subtropical, Tropical (M. Otani, pers. comm.)

Non-native Temperature Regime:

Not applicable

Non-native Temperature Range:

Not applicable

Native Salinity Regime:

Polyhaline, Euhaline

Native Salinity Range:

34.975 - 35.470 PSU (OBIS 2015) Typically collected from Indian River Lagoon sites where salinity measures below 30‰ (Hill 2001) Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon) is found in euhaline and polyhaline regions to 18psu. (Winston 1977)

Non-native Salinity Regime:

Not applicable

Temperature Regime Survival:

Warm temperate, See details

Temperature Range Survival:

24.146 - 26.803°C (OBIS 2015) [Electra bellula var. multicornis (Synonymized taxon)] In the laboratory, it is reared at temperat;ure ranging from 16ºC to 24ºC. (Lisbferg & Petersen 2000) Warm temperate (M. Otani, pers. comm.)

Temperature Regime Reproduction:

NF

Temperature Range Reproduction:

NF

Salinity Regime Survival:

Polyhaline, Euhaline

Salinity Range Survival:

34.975 - 35.470 PSU (OBIS 2015) Electra bellula (Synonymized taxon) is found in euhaline and polyhaline regions to 18psu. (Winston 1977)

Salintiy Regime Reproduction:

Polyhaline, Euhaline

Salinity Range Reproduction:

NF

Depth Regime:

Shallow subtidal, Deep subtidal

Depth Range:

[Gulf of Mexico] Collected at 0 - 60m (Moretzsohn et al. 2015) [CuraÒ«ao, Caribbean] 5 - 11m (Osburn 1940, cited in Fransen 1986) [Brazil] 0 - 20m (Marcus 1937, cited in Fransen 1986) [Australia] Collected at 4 - 6 m (Lisbjreg and Petersen 2000) Widely distributed in shallow water, mostly on algae (Fransen 1986) Marmion lagoon, Perth, Western Australia: 4-6m. (Lisbjerg & Peterson 2000)

Non-native Salinity Range:

Native Abundance:

See details

Reproduction

Fertilization Mode:

See details

Reproduction Mode:

Hermaphrodite/monoecious

Spawning Type:

NA

Development Mode:

See details

Asexual Reproduction:

Budding/fragmentation (Splitting into unequal parts. Buds may form on the body of the “parent”)

Reproduction Details:

Malacostegan egg. Forms a single large egg (Ostrovsky 2013) Reproductive pattern of Arbocuspis bellula is uncertain. Should be broadcaster but said to produce a large egg and may in fact be an internal brooder (Ostrovsky 2013) RELATED: [Membraniporidea] Shed numerous small eggs directly into the sea (Hayward & Ryland 1998) and fetilize in the sea. (Mawatari 1976) These develop into shelled, planktorophic larvae, termed cyphonautes, which feed and grow during several weeks or months spent in the plankton. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Cheilostomata] Free spawning species produce the characteristic triangular cyphonautes larva. These larvae are long-lived and planktotrophic. The larval body is enclosed in a membranous shell; the size can be up to little over 1 mm. Cyphonautes larvae are not keyed out - if possible at all. (van Couwelaar 2003) [Gymnolaemates] Internal fertilization, whether intracoelomic or intraovarian, is obligatory (Temkin 1994 and 1996, cited in Ostrovsky 2013) [Gymnolaemates] Differ from most organisms in that sperm-egg fusion does not stimulate egg activation. Egg activation may not occur until "spawned" outside of maternal zooid (Temkin 1991) [Bryozoans] While sperm is spawned through pores in lophophore tentacles, eggs are usually harbored inside the body wall, and are internally fertilized by sperm, coming in on lophophore feeding currents (Brusca and Brusca 2003 and Kozloff 1990, cited in Rouse 2011) [Bryozoans] Colonial hermaphrodites, with testes (spermatogenic tissue) and ovaries developing either within the same zooid (zooidal hermaphroditism) or in different zooids within the same colony (zooidal gonochorism) (Ostrovsky 2013) [Bryozoans] Members of the phylum Bryozoa are hermaphroditic. Both fertilization and egg brooding may either be internal or external (Ruppert et al. 2004) [Bryozoans] The first zooid in a colony is called the ancestrula. It is from this individual that the rest of the colony will grow asexually from the budding (Hill 2001) [Bryozoa] All bryozoan colonies are hermaphroditic. Autozooids may be dioecious; or monoecious, and protandrous or protogynous. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Bryozoa] Reproduces asexually by budding. (Mawatari 1976)

Adult Mobility:

Sessile

Adult Mobility Details:

RELATED: [Bryozoa] The abundance and taxonomic diversity of benthic bryozoan faunas are directly related to substratum. (Hayward & Ryland 1998)

Maturity Size:

Zooids measure approximately 0.18 x 0.34 mm in size...the lophophore measures an average of 0.225 mm in diameter. (Hill 2001) Length zooecium: 0.35 - 0.41 - 0.47mm; Width zooecium: 0.24 - 0.25-0.28mm (Fransen 1986) Zooecial size is quite variable, length ranges from 0.30 to 0.75mm and width from 0.12 to 0.28mm. The proximal calcified frontol, or gymnocyst, covers about one-half of the zooecium and is inflated. The oval opesium extends to the distal margin of the zooecium (Shier 1964) [Electra bellula (synonymised species)] Zooids of E. bellula are approximately 300 μm long and 250 μm wide with a lophophore of about 300 μm high and 250 μm in diameter with 10–12 tentacles. (Lisbjreg and Petersen 2000)

Maturity Age:

NF

Reproduction Lifespan:

NF

Longevity:

Occurs year-round in the Indian River Lagoon (Hill 2001)

Broods per Year:

NF

Reproduction Cues:

RELATED: [Bryozoans] Experiments often used light as a cue to collect embryos/larvae (Woollacott and Zimmer 1977) [Bryozoa] In coastal species light is an important stimulus to larval release, and many cheilostomates shed larvae during the first few hours of daylight. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Bryozoa] In various degrees of intensity according to the species temperature also stimulates sexual reproduction. (Winston 1977)

Reproduction Time:

NF

Fecundity:

NF

Egg Size:

RELATED: [Gymnolaemata] About 200µm (Woollacott and Zimmer 1977)

Egg Duration:

NF

Early Life Growth Rate:

RELATED: [Gymnolaemata] Two phases of larvae metamorphosis: first stage about 20mins; second stage 1-6 days (Woollacott and Zimmer 1977)

Adult Growth Rate:

NF

Population Growth Rate:

NF

Population Variablity:

NF

Habitat

Ecosystem:

SAV, Macroalgal beds

Habitat Type:

Epibenthic, Epiphytic

Substrate:

Biogenic, Other

Exposure:

NF

Habitat Expansion:

NF

Habitat Details:

Epibenthic encrusting, attached to algae (Moretzsohn et al. 2015) It is typically collected on seagrasses, primarily Syringodium spp...also been collected from April to July attached to brown algae (Hill 2001; Winston 1982 in Hill 2001) Always occurs creeping over weed, and frequently runs out into narrow strap-like segments (Hincks 1881) Encrusting hard substrata. (Cook 1985, cited in Hayward & Ryland 1995) At Heron Island it occurred only on Sargassum. (Hayward & Ryland 1995) [Electra bellula var. multicornis] Specimens were collected from the leaves of Amphibolis sp. but more commonly found on epiphyte Dictyopteris sp. (Lisberg & Petersen 2000)

Trophic Level:

Suspension feeder

Trophic Details:

[Electra bellula (synonymised species)] E. Bellula, like all bryozoans, is a suspension feeder...filter phytoplankton less than 0.045mm in size from the water column. (Hill 2001) RELATED: [Bryozoans] Suspension feeder...filter phytoplankton less than 0.045mm in size from the water column. (Hill 2001) [Bryozoa] Many phytoplankton species are cleary unsuitable as food for bryozoans. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Cheilostomata] Main food is diatom, protozoans and etc. and unappropriate sized particles are ejected (Mawatari 1976)

Forage Mode:

Generalist

Forage Details:

[Electra bellula (synonymised species)] E. Bellula, like all bryozoans, is a suspension feeder...filter phytoplankton less than 0.045mm in size from the water column. (Hill 2001) RELATED: [Bryozoa] Many phytoplankton species are cleary unsuitable as food for bryozoans. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Cheilostomata] Main food is diatom, protozoans and etc. and unappropriate sized particles are ejected (Mawatari 1976)

Natural Control:

RELATED: PREDATION [Predation] [Bryozoa] Browsers and grazers, including sea urchins, fish, crabs and some prosobranchs, are known to include bryozoans in their diet. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Predation] [Bryozoa] Bryozoans are also the prey of very many small, selective predators, some of which may be adapted to a very narrow spectrum of prey species. Among them opisthobranch predators of bryozoans are well known. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) [Predation] [Bryozoa] Other than opisthobranchs as a predator, amphipods, isopods, mites and pycnogonids have all been recorded preying on bryozoan colonies. (Hayward & Ryland 1998) EPIBIONTS [Epibionts] [Cheilostomata] It is frequently observed in Japan that several species of hydroids flourish on Cheilostomata cause damages to them. (Mawatari 1976)

Associated Species:

NF

References and Notes

References:

Almeida, A. C. S., Alves, O., Peso-Aguiar, M., Dominguez, J., & Souza, F. (2015). Gymnolaemata bryozoans of Bahia State, Brazil. Marine Biodiversity Records, 8, e120. Banta, W.C. & Redden, J.C. (1990). A Checklist of the Bryozoa of the Galapagos. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash. 103(4): 789-802. Bock, P. (2011). Arbocuspis bellula (Hinkcks, 1881). Retrieved from http://www.bryozoa.net/cheilostomata/electridae/elecbel.html. Bock, P. (2015). Arbocuspis bellula (Hincks, 1881). In: P. Bock & D. Gordon. World List of Bryozoa. Retrieved from http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=580100 Chiriboga, A., Ruiz, D., and Banks, S. (2012). CDF Checklist of Galapagos Bryozoans - FCD Lista de especies de Bryozoos Galápagos. In: F. Bungartz, H. Herrera, P. Jaramillo, N. Tirado, G. Jiménez-Uzcátegui, D. Ruiz, A. Guézou & F. Ziemmeck. (Eds.). Charles Darwin Foundation Galapagos Species Checklist - Lista de Especies de Galápagos de la Fundación Charles Darwin. Retrieved from http://checklists.datazone.darwinfoundation.org/marine-invertebrates/bryozoa/ Crossland, C.(1927). XXIII.—The Expedition to the South Pacific of the S.Y. “St. George.” Marine Ecology and Coral Formations in the Panama Region, the Galapagos and Marquesas Islands, and the Atoll of Napuka. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, 55, 531-554. Doi:10.1017/S008045680001646X Fransen, C. H. J. M. (1986). Caribbean Bryozoa: Anasca and Ascophora Imperfecta of the inner bays of Curaçao and Bonaire. Amsterdam, NH: Foundation for Scientific Research in Surinam and the Netherlands Antilles. Global Invasive Species Database. http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/ Access Date: 24-Feb-2016. Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. (1995). Bryozoa from Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. 2. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum, 38(2), 533-573. http://www.bryozoa.net/cheilostomata/electridae/electra_bellula_hayward_ryland_1995.pdf Hayward PF & Ryland JS (1998) Cheilostomatous Bryozoa part I. Aeteoidea - Cribrilinoidea. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series). Barnes RSK & Crothers JH (eds.) No. 10 (Second Edition). The Linnean Society of London and The Estuarine and Coastal Sciences Association by Field Studies Council: 366pp. Hastings, A. B. (1929). Cheilostomatous Polyzoa from the Vicinity of the Panama Canal collected by Dr. C. Crassland on the Cruise of the S.Y. ‘ St. George.’. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 99(4), 697-740. Doi: 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1929.tb01453.x Hill, K. (2001) Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce. Retrieved from http://www.sms.si.edu/irlspec/Electr_bellul.htm Hincks, T. (1881). XV.—Contributions towards a general history of the marine Polyzoa. Journal of Natural History, 7(38), 147-161. Doi: 10.1080/00222938109459489 Lisberg D & Petersen JK (2000) Clearance capacity of Electra bellula (Bryozoa) in seagrass meadows of Western Australia. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 244: 285–296. http://directory.umm.ac.id/Data%20Elmu/jurnal/J-a/Journal%20of%20Experimental%20Marine%20Biology%20and%20Ecology/Vol244.Issue2.Feb2000/3399.pdf Mawatari S (1976) Bryozoa (Ectoprocta). In: Animal systematics. Uchida T (ed.) Nakayama-shoten Co. Ltd., Tokyo: 35-229. (in Japanese) Moretzsohn, F., Sánchez Chávez, J.A., & Tunnell, Jr., J.W. (Eds). (2015). GulfBase: Resource Database for Gulf of Mexico Research. Retrieved from http://www.gulfbase.org OBIS. (2015). Ocean Biogeographic Information System. Retrieved from http://iobis.org/mapper/ Osburn RC (1950) Bryozoa of the Pacific coast of America. Part 1. Cheilostomata - Anasca. The University of Southern California Publication. Allan Hancock Pacific Expedition 14: 1-269. Osburn, R. C. (1952). Bryozoa of the Pacific coast of America. Los Angeles, CA: University of South California Press. Ostrovsky, A. N. (2013). Evolution of Sexual Reproduction in Marine Invertebrates – Example of gymnolaemate bryozoans. Dordrectht: Springer Netherlands. Doi: 10.1007/978-94-007-7146-8 Rouse, S. (2011). Aetea anguina. Bryozoa of the British Isles. Retrieved from http://britishbryozoans.myspecies.info/content/aetea-anguina-linnaeus-1758 Ruppert, E.E., Fox, R.S., and Barnes, R.D. (2004). Invertebrate Zoology: A functional evolutionary approach. Ann Arbor, MN: Thomson Brooks/Cole. Shier, D. E. (1964). Marine bryozoa from northwest Florida. Bulletin of Marine Science, 14(4), 603-662. Temkin, M. H. (1991). Fertilization in the Gymnolaemate Bryozoa (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. (DP23819). Van Couwelaar, M. (2003). Zooplankton and Micronekton of the North Sea. Retrieved from http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=zmns&menuentry=groepen&id=102&tab=refs Winston JE (1977). Distribution and ecology of estuarine ectoprocts: A critical review. Chesapeake Science, 18:, 34‐57. doi:10.2307/1350363. https://fau.digital.flvc.org/islandora/object/fau%3A6214/datastream/OBJ/view/Distribution_and_ecology_of_estuarine_ectoprocts__A_critical_review.pdf Winston, J. E. (1995). Ectoproct diversity of the Indian River coastal lagoon. Bulletin of Marine Science, 57(1), 84-93. Woollacott, R. M., & Zimmer, R. L. (Eds.). (1977). Biology of Bryozoans. New York, NY: Academic Press

Literature:

Little or no information; expert opinion based on general knowledge

Notes:

It is likely that this is a multi-species complex. (Bock 2011) Majority of references refer to this species as Electra bellula, but officially recognized as Arbocuspis bellula according to WoRMS.