Gregarinidra (Bryozoa: Gymnolaemata: Flustridae) of Korea

Gregarinidra (Bryozoa: Gymnolaemata: Flustridae) of Korea

Two species belonging to the genus Gregarinidra Barroso, 1949 (Bryozoa: Gymnolaemata: Flustridae) were first found in this study from Korean waters. Gregarinidra furcula n. sp. is new to science, and G. incrustans (Silén, 1941) is newly added to the Korean fauna. Species belonging to this genus are primarily distinguished by two characteristics: interzooidal avicularia and marginal spines. The pitchforked spines clearly distinguish G. furcula n. sp. from the other Gregarinidra species, and G. incrustans shows the difference by having blunt spines and short-triangular avicularia. Gregarinidra incrustans was known to be distributed only in Japan until this species was reported from the South Sea, Korea, in the present study. This study provides descriptions of two species with detailed illustrations by scanning electron microscopy, distributional data, and a taxonomic key to the Korean Gregarinidra species. With the addition of two species reported herein, four Korean Gregarinidra are recorded: G. corbula Seo, 1996, G. furcula new species, G. incrustans(Silén, 1941), and G. serrata (MacGillivray, 1869). Finally, Gregarinidra totals 10 species worldwide.