Mediterranean Marine Science Vol. 9, 2008 Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (II) Encrusting 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.129 Copyright © 2008 To cite this article: ABDEL-SALAM, KH.M., & RAMADAN, SH.E. (2008). Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (II) Encrusting species. Mediterranean Marine Science, 9(2), 5-20. doi:https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.129 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/10/2021 23:49:24 | Research Article Mediterranean Marine Science Volume 9/2, 2008, 05-20 Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (II) Encrusting species KH. M. ABDEL-SALAM and SH. E. RAMADAN National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Kayet-Bay, Alexandria, Egypt e-mail: [email protected] Abstract Polystyrene test panels immersed half a meter deep in the water were used to collect the fouling, encrusting Bryozoa at three harbours in Alexandria city. These were Abu Qir Harbour, the Eastern Har- bour and El-Dekheila Harbour. Four species of encrusting bryozoa are recorded in the present study. These are Conopeum reticulum, Watersipora subtorquata, Cryptosula pallasiana and Schizoporella erra- ta. The first species is affiliated to the Membraniporidae family , belonging to the suborder Anasca while the other three species are affiliated to the Watersiporidae, Cryptosulidae and Schizoporellidae families respectively. These families belong to the suborder Ascophora. A re-description, supplied with full struc- tural illustrations of the recorded species is given. Moreover, the temporal and spatial distributions of the species recorded are provided Keywords: Taxonomy; Encrusting Bryozoa; Marine fouling; Harbours. Introduction the area surrounding Tripoli (Libya). POWELL (1969) listed the Indo-pacific Bryozoans are predominantly marine Bryozoa new to the Mediterranean coast colonial invertebrate animals. They occur of Israel; meanwhile, HONDT (1988) in almost all marine habitats, mainly studied the Bryozoa from the Mediter- coastal, wherever hard, or more rarely, soft ranean and Red Sea coasts of Israel. Simi- substrata exist as supports or bases lar studies were conducted on the coast of (ZABALA & MALUQUER, 1988). Bry- Lebanon (BITAR & BITAR, 2001), ozoans are one of the main components of Turkey (ÜNSAL, 1975; ÜNSAL & communities settling on artificial sub- HONDT, 1978-1979), Cyprus (KO AK et strates (PISANO, 1979; BOYER, 1984). al., 2002) and as well the Italian coastal The Mediterranean Bryozoa has been waters and lagoons (HONDT, 1977; studied by many authors. BUGE & AMBROGI, 1981; AMBROGI & DEBOURLE (1977) studied the ecology HONDT, 1981; AMBROGI et al., 1988). of the bryozoan fauna of the sea shore in The Aegean Sea and islands were surveyed Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 05-20 5 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/10/2021 23:49:24 | by other authors (HAYWARD, 1974, Material and Methods 1975, 1976; MORRI et al., 1999; KO AK, 2007a). HAYWARD & MCKINNEY Using white polystyrene test panels (2002) investigated the Northern Adriatic (12.5x12.5 cm), the fouling samples were Bryozoa from the vicinity of Rovinj, Croa- collected from three harbours along tia. Bryozoan fauna are included in the Alexandria city, namely Abu Qir Harbour studies of invasive alien species in the (A.H.), the Eastern Harbour (E.H.) and Mediterranean Sea (ZENETOS et al., El-Dekheila Harbour (D.H.) (Figure 1). 2006, 2008; STREFTARIS & ZENETOS, Descriptions of the investigated har- 2006). Bryozoan assemblages developed bours and a detailed sampling scheme of on panels submerged at five marinas locat- the experiment are provided in ABDEL- ed along the Turkish Aegean coast were SALAM & RAMADAN (2008). estimated by KO AK (2007b). Samples of encrusting Bryozoa were Previous studies of Bryozoa in Egypt recorded and isolated for identification. go back to AUDOUIN (1826) who identi- Illustrative drawings of the recorded bry- fied 67 species of Bryozoa collected by ozoan species were carried out by means SAVIGNY. HASTINGS (1927) recorded of a zoom stereoscopic microscope provid- 24 species of polyzoa in the collection ed with its special camera lucida drawing made by the Cambridge Expedition to the tube; the full structural re-description of Suez Canal, 1924. O`DONOGHUE & DE different species was provided as well. WATTEVILLE (1939) investigated the Classification keys for the Mediterranean marine Bryozoa in the fishery grounds Bryozoa were provided by ZABALA & near Alexandria and recorded 62 species. MALUQUER (1988). The taxonomic BALAVOINE (1959) studied bryozoan order is based on that adopted by fauna collected from 24 stations during the HAYWARD & RYLAND (1979 and mission of Robert Ph. Dollfus in Egypt 1999). All materials were deposited in the (December 1927-March 1929) and record- laboratory of Taxonomy and Aquatic Bio- ed 44 species. Four species of Cyclostomes diversity, National Institute of Oceanogra- and 40 species of Cheilostomes. Recently, phy & Fisheries, Alexandria, Egypt. HONDT (2006) has given a new explana- tion of the plates of ‘Polyps-Bryozoa’ in Results the description of Egypt presented by AUDOUIN (1826). Meanwhile ABDEL- The present study yields 4 species of SALAM & RAMADAN (2008) have encrusting Bryozoa belonging to 4 fami- reported on the fouling erect species lies. developed in three Alexandria ports. The present work aims to give taxo- Family: MEMBRANIPORIDAE nomical information about the encrusting fouling bryozoa recorded from three har- Conopeum reticulum (LINNAEUS, 1767) bours in Alexandria (Egypt) namely Abu Millepora reticulum LINNAEUS, 1767:1284. Qir Harbour, the Eastern Harbour and Flustra lacroixii AUDOUIN, 1826:240. El-Dekheila Harbour, as well as the tem- Conopeum reticulum (LINNAEUS, 1767); poral and spatial distributions of the RYLAND, 1965:30, fig.13; PRENANT & recorded species. BOBIN, 1966:124, fig.32; RYLAND & 6 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 05-20 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/10/2021 23:49:24 | Fig. 1: The area investigated; positions of the three sampled harbours along Alexandria coast. HAYWARD, 1977:60; ZABALA & Israel (POWELL, 1969; HONDT, 1988), MALUQUER, 1988:76, fig.65. Lebanon (BITAR & BITAR, 2001), Turkey (ÜNSAL & HONDT, 1978-1979; Colony form: Encrusting, sheet-like, cal- KO AK, 2007a, b) and Cyprus (KO AK careous. et al., 2002). ZABALA & MALUQUER Size: Up to 8 cm in diameter. (1988) who recorded this species from the Description: (Fig. 2) West Mediterranean mentioned that a Thinly encrusting pale brownish-white pair triangular kenozooids are situated at sheets of zooids. Zooids 0.35-0.55 mm long the distal end of each zooid. Spines, if and 0.19-0.27 mm wide, elongated-oval in present, are placed all around the frontal shape, with most of the frontal surface area. On the other hand, RYLAND membranous; skeletal rim granular. Each (1965) reported that in the angles between zooecium is provided distally with a pair of zooecia, small triangular walled spaces small, triangular, dwarf, non-feeding may be present. Present work specimens zooids (Kenozooid) and a characteristic are in good accordance with the descrip- operculum with a folded membranous tions given by the above authors. edge. General distribution and habitat: Usually Remarks: This species was absent from found on stones and shells on the shore or the Levantine Sea including the coasts of in shallow water, but large colonies may be Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 05-20 7 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/10/2021 23:49:24 | Fig. 2: Conopeum reticulum. Group of zooecia. found on wooden structures. The species of the panel area. It is worth mentioning occurs in the sea and at river mouths that the water of this harbour is character- where salinity may be very low ized by low salinity, in comparison with the (RYLAND, 1965). In European waters other two harbours. the species extends from Skagerrak and On long-term panels, it appeared at Kattegat down the Atlantic coast, perhaps both Abu Qir and El-Dekheila Harbours. into the Mediterranean; also to the It is weakly represented on the 9 month Azores, Canary and Cape Verde islands duration panels at Abu Qir Harbor; it was (RYLAND, 1965). It has been recorded in encountered at El-Dekheila Harbour dur- the West Mediterranean (ZABALA & ing different periods of accumulation MALUQUER, 1988) and France except for those of the 2 and 4 month (PRENANT & BOBIN, 1966). duration panels. The maximum represen- Local distribution and association: This tation of the species was noticed on panels species was previously recorded in the list after 10 and 11 months of immersion when of marine fouling in the Suez Canal it covered about 85% and 77.5% of the (RAMADAN, 1986). panel area. The ten and eleven month fouling communities are mainly composed In the present work, on short-term of large numbers of moderate sized barna- panels this species appeared only at El- cles, some polychaete tubes (Hydroides ele- Dekheila harbour during the period April gans), large numbers of associated 1999 to September 1999, flourishing dur- amphipods and isopods, and the erect bry- ing May 1999 when it covered about 38% ozoa Bowerbankia gracilis, which covered 8 Medit. Mar. Sci., 9/2, 2008, 05-20 http://epublishing.ekt.gr | e-Publisher: EKT | Downloaded at 01/10/2021 23:49:24 | about 72.5% and 92.5% of the panel