New species and new records of bryozoan species from fouling communities in the Madeira Archipelago (NE Atlantic)

Abstract

AbstractHull fouling is considered to be the most significant vector of introduction of marine non-indigenous species (NIS) in the Madeira Archipelago (NE Atlantic) because these islands provide a vital passage route for many ships. The transfer of species between boat hulls and artificial substrates in marinas is known to be high. Bryozoans are among the most common groups of marine invertebrates growing on this type of substrate. In recent years, significant advances have been made in our knowledge about the biodiversity of bryozoans in the Madeira Archipelago. Nonetheless, the currently recognized numbers remain far from reflecting the actual bryozoan species richness. In this context, we examine bryozoan samples stemming from NIS monitoring surveys on artificial substrates along the southern coast of the Madeira Archipelago, in four recreational marinas and in two offshore aquaculture farms. This has yielded new information about ten bryozoan species. Two of them, Crisia noronhaisp. nov. andAmathia maderensissp. nov., are described for the first time, although at least the first one was previously recorded from Madeira but misidentified.Bugula ingens,Cradoscrupocellaria insularis,Scruparia ambigua, andCelleporaria brunneaare recorded for the first time in Madeira. Moreover, the material ofC. brunneawas compared with the type, and a biometric analysis was performed with material from the Atlantic and Mediterranean. All samples identified asC. brunneain both regions are the same species, and the variations described in the literature apparently reflect high intracolonial variability. Finally, we provide new information for the descriptions of 4 additional bryozoans, namely,Crisiasp. aff. elongata,Cradoscrupocellaria bertholletii,Scrupocaberea maderensis, andTricellaria inopinata.