Taxonomy of Some Microporids (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) from the Pacific Coast of Japan

Abstract

The taxonomy of Pleistocene and Recent microporids collected from the Pacific coast of Japan and reported previously as Micropora coriacea (Esper in Johnston, 1847), Microporina articulata (Fabricius, 1821), and Verminaria areolae Sakakura, 1935 is revised. Two new species, Micropora mawatarii and Micropora plana are described from Japanese material previously reported as M. coriacea, and Micropora rimulata Canu and Bassler, 1929 from Japan is compared with specimens from other parts of the Pacific. The differences between Microporina japonica Canu and Bassler, 1929 and M. articulata are reexamined. A new genus, Metamicropora, is erected for Verminaria areolae, which had been placed previously in Microporina.