Mediterranean Marine Science Vol. 9, 2008 Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (I) Erect species ABDEL-SALAM KH.M. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet Bay, El Anfoushy, Alexandria RAMADAN SH.E. National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet-Bay, Alexandria https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.142 Copyright © 2008 To cite this article: ABDEL-SALAM, KH.M., & RAMADAN, SH.E. (2008). Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (I) Erect species. Mediterranean Marine Science, 9(1), 31-49. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.142 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 04/10/2021 01:17:38 | Research Article Mediterranean Marine Science Volume 9/1, 2008, 31-47 Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (I) Erect species KH. M. ABDEL-SALAM. and SH. E. RAMADAN National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet-Bey, Alexandria, Egypt e-mail: [email protected] Abstract The fouling erect Bryozoa settled on polystyrene test panels immersed half a meter deep in the water of Abu Qir Harbour, the Eastern Harbour and El-Dekheila Harbour were studied. The present study yields 5 species of erect bryozoa. These are Amathia pruvoti, Zoobotryon verticillatum, Bowerbankia gra- cilis, Bugula neritina and Bugula stolonifera. The first three ones pertain to 3 genera of the family Vesic- ulariidae belonging to suborder the Stolonifera; while the other two species affiliate to the genus Bugula belonging to the family Bugulidae of suborder Anasca. The present record of Amathia pruvoti is the first from the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. A re-description, supplied with full structural illustrations of the recorded species is given. Moreover, the temporal and spatial distributions of the species recorded are encountered. Keywords: Bryozoa; Systematics; Erect species; Marine fouling; Harbours. Introduction gave a checklist of the Bryozoa of the Eastern Adriatic Sea; meanwhile, Bryozoans are benthic colonial inver- HAYWARD & MCKINNEY (2002) tebrates in marine hard-bottom environ- studied the northern Adriatic Bryozoa ments and some of them occur in the foul- from the vicinity of Rovenj, Croatia. Bry- ing communities (LEWIS et al., 2004; ozoan fauna are included in the studies of CARLTON, 1985; GOLLASCH, 2002). biodiversity of marine sessile epifauna in Several studies have been conducted on the eastern Mediterranean (MORRI et al., the bryozoan species collected from the 1999 and ANTONIADOU & Levantine Sea including the coasts of CHINTIROGLOU, 2005) and studies of Israel (POWELL, 1969; HONDT, 1988), invasive alien species at the Mediter- Lebanon (BITAR & BITAR, 2001), ranean Sea (ZENETOS, 2005; Turkey (ÜNSAL & HONDT, 1979) and STREFTARIS & ZENETOS, 2006). Bry- Cyprus (KO AK et al., 2002). ozoan assemblages developed on panels NOVOSEL & PO AR-DOMAC (2001) submerged at five marinas located along Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/1, 2008, 31-47 31 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 04/10/2021 01:17:38 | the Turkish Aegean coast, were estimated bours along Alexandria city, namely, from by KO AK (2007). ZABALA & East to West, Abu Qir Harbour (A.H.), MALUQUER (1988) provided classifica- the Eastern Harbour (E.H.) and El- tion keys on Mediterranean Bryozoa. Dekheila Harbour (D.H.) (Fig.1). As opposed to diversity studies on Bryozoa in Egypt, it is worth mentioning Abu Qir Harbour: that taxonomic studies on Bryozoa in This is a military harbour situated Alexandria waters have received little nearly at the head of the Abu Qir bay attention. AUDOUIN (1826) named 67 between the dead and open seas. The bay species of Bryozoa collected by is a shallow semi-circular basin, east of SAVIGNY in Egypt. Ten of them were Alexandria city. It has an area of 500 Km2 described from the Mediterranean and 17 with an average depth of 12 m, maximum from the Red Sea, whereas no localities depth of 16 m and a shoreline of 50 Km were given for the remaining 40 species long (NESSIM & EL-DEEK, 1993). The (DUMONT, 1981). O`DONOGHUE & water of Abu Qir bay is affected by three DE WATTEVILLE (1939) gave the dis- continental discharges. These are the tributional pattern of 62 species of Bry- Boughaz El-Maadia opening, the El-Tabia ozoa in the fishery grounds near Alexan- pumping station and the opening of the dria, two of which (Vibracellina mediter- Rashid Nile branch. These discharges are raneae & Schizomavella alexandriae) were mainly drainage and freshwater. new to science. Recent studies dealing with the ecology of fouling organisms in The Eastern Harbour of Alexandria: Alexandria waters (BANOUB, 1960; This is a relatively shallow semi-circu- MEGALLY, 1970; GHOBASHY, 1976; lar bay surrounded by the city except on its RAMADAN, 1986; EL-KOMI, 1991, northern side, where it communicates with 1992, 1998a, b; RAMADAN et al., 2006a, the sea through two outlets. The average b) provide check-lists that include Bry- water depth of the bay is about 6.0 m and ozoa. HONDT (2006) gives a new expla- it receives many kinds of vessels, especial- nation of the plates of ‘Polyps-Bryozoa’ in ly fishing boats (AL SAYES & the book describing Egypt presented by SHAKWEER, 1997). LABIB (2002) men- AUDOUIN (1826). tioned that due to water circulation the The present work deals with the re- harbour is subjected to an amount of description and temporal & spatial distri- municipal wastewater from the main sewer butions of the erect fouling bryozoans of Alexandria (Kayet Bey), located in its recorded from three harbours in Alexan- western vicinity. dria (Egypt), namely Abu Qir Harbour, the Eastern Harbour and El-Dekheila El-Dekheila Harbour: Harbour. This is a commercial harbour. El- Dekheila Harbour is a semi-enclosed basin Materials and Methods constructed recently, after 1986, on the western side of El-Mex bay (FAHMY et al., Using roughened white polystyrene 1997). According to ABDALLA et al. test panels (12.5x12.5 cm), the fouling (1995) and FAHMY et al. (1997), the har- samples were collected from three har- bour’s water is subjected to several sources 32 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/1, 2008, 31-47 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 04/10/2021 01:17:38 | Fig. 1: The area investigated: positions of the three sampled harbours along the Alexandria coast. of wastewater. A huge volume of brackish The exposed panels, 36 at each har- water is discharged into El-Mex bay bour, depending on their immersion time, through the El-Umoum drain. On its west- are divided into two series: ern side, near the harbour, this bay also receives industrial wastes from several ñ Short-term panels: immersed for one sources. The degree of water contamination month. Replaced every month. of the harbour water from the above men- ñ Long-term panels: Sets of panels rep- tioned sources depends on water circulation resenting immersion periods of 2, 3, 4, in the bay. El-Dekheila Harbour, like other 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 months, harbours, is affected by shipping activities. respectively Its water depth ranges between 6 and 19 m Using a binocular zoom stereo-micro- with an average of 12.4 m. The exposed scope (20X), the fouling community was panels were dangled at the container pier. investigated to identify the fouler and Sampling of the fouling biota was car- associated organisms. Samples of erect ried out at Abu Qir Harbour during Bryozoa were recorded and isolated for November 1998 through October 1999 identification. Illustrative drawings of the while at the Eastern Harbour of Alexan- recorded bryozoan species were carried dria and at El-Dekheila Harbour from out by means of a zoom stereoscopic October 1998 through to September 1999. microscope provided with its special cam- Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/1, 2008, 31-47 33 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 04/10/2021 01:17:38 | era lucida drawing tube; as well as this the Family: VESICULARIIDAE full structural re-description of different species was provided. The taxonomic Colony erect, tufted, or creeping. order is based on that adopted by Autozooids budded singly or in groups HONDT (1983, 1997 and 2001). All mate- from a kenozooidal stolon, radially sym- rials are deposited in the laboratory of metrical. Embryos brooded within the ten- Taxonomy and Aquatic Biodiversity, tacle sheath. In the present study, this fam- National Institute of Oceanography & ily was represented by three genera. These Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt. include Amathia Lamouroux, 1812; Zoobotryon Ehrenberg, 1831 and Bower- Results bankia Farre, 1837. The Present study yields 5 species of Amathia pruvoti Calvet, 1911 erect bryozoa, affiliating to 4 genera of two families and two suborders of the Amathia pruvoti PRENANT & BOBIN, orders Ctenostomata and Cheilostomata, 1956, p. 287; HAYWARD, 1985, p. 136; belonging to the class Gymnolaemata, as CHIMONIDES, 1987, p. 336; ZABALA & follows: MALUQUER, 1988, p. 73, figs. 50, 53, 54. Colony form: Erect, branching form. Phylum: BRYOZOA Size: Branches attain about 3-4 cm long. Class: GYMNOLAEMATA Description: (Fig. 2) Order: CTENOSTOMATA Colony transparent, of a pale brownish Suborder: STOLONIFERA colouration, rampant over the substratum, Fig. 2: Amathia pruvoti. A. Part of colony. B. Enlarged part of colony showing the arrangement of zooids per group. 34 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/1, 2008, 31-47 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 04/10/2021 01:17:38 | with many free branches. Stolon axis about fig.38; ZABALA & MALUQUER, 1988, 0.18 mm in diameter with paired clusters P.74, fig.55. of zooids arranged spirally around the axis Colony form: Freely branched tuft. without completing a whorl. There are 1-3 Size: Up to 25 cm long. groups of more or less tubular zooids per Description: (Fig. 3) branch. Markedly, a group of zooids just Colony forming long tufts of 0.25 m, precedes the bifurcation and sometimes repeatedly and densely branched; translu- other group of zooids, on the internode.