Jellyella is a genus of bryozoan in the family Membraniporidae.

Etymology

The genus is named in honour of the Eliza Catherine Jelly (1829–1914), of Cornwall, England in honour of her contributions to the study of bryozoans.

Morphology

Jellyella closely resemble Membranipora, and in common with other members of the family Membraniporidae has twinned ancestrular zooids. However, Jellyella can be distinguished by the presence of intricately branched processes (called spinules) projecting into the zooidal chambers. Jellyella also have a calcitic skeletal ultrastructure comprised from transversely arranged, elongate spindles.

Ecology

Jellyella unusual in being a pseudoplanktonic bryozoan found encrusting floating objects, both natural and artificial. Jellyella eburnea is common on shells of the squid Spirula (which become detached from the soft body of the squid after death) and on the shells of the planktonic gastropod Janthina. Jellyella tuberculata normally grows on the floating alga Sargassum. By contrast, most other bryozoans are benthic, encrusting things like kelp hard substrates.

Species

• Jellyella eburnea (Hincks, 1891). Tropical Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Oceans.
• Jellyella tuberculata (Bosc, 1802). Widespread, subtropical. Colloquially known as the Gulf weed bryozoan.

References