Corbulipora tubulifera occurs in southeastern Australia. Colonies show three different growth form 'phases'. The left illustration is of the encrusting phase, which is usually the first in the life cycle (astogeny) of the colony.
Each zooid has a costate shield, made up of about 14 hollow spines or costae. The gaps between the costae are lacunae (true pores), and the round pores leading into the interior of the costae are a type of window termed pelmatidia (or pelmata). The pair of distal costae form an apertural bar. |
Transition from flustrine phase to bilaminar phase. |
Distribution Map of this species.
Original description: Cribrilina tubulifera Hincks, 1881.
Locality: Bass Strait.
Reference: Bock, P.E., & Cook, P.L., 1994. Occurrence of three phases of growth with taxonomically distinct zooid morphologies.
Pp.33-36; in: Hayward, P.J., Ryland, J.S., & Taylor, P.D. (eds)
Biology and Palaeobiology of Bryozoans. Olsen & Olsen, Fredensborg.