Godfried,

Looks very similar to Adeonella calveti :

http://www.asturnatura.com/fotografia/submarina-fotosub/adeonella-calveti/5237.html

I think Charles Fransen should be able to id it for you

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/C_Fransen

Tom

http://corspecies.medrecover.org/photos/061027_SPP_RG_1908_AdeonellaCalvetti.jpg

Dear Tom

Thanks for your reaction. It looks like some Adeonella species indeed. Although Hayward 1988 lists 41 species of Adeonella, none has been found in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, but Hayward remarks about this absence: 'may prove to be more apparent than real'…

Article The Recent species of Adeonella (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) inc...

Hi Godfried,

Charles Fransen worked on Caribbean bryozoan (Dutch Antilles) in the past and he may be able to assist. Also please try to contact Bert Hoeksema

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Bert_Hoeksema

since he has done recent work on St. Eustatius marine biodiversity and he should be able to point you in the right direction.

Tom

Hi Thomas

Thanks for your suggestion to contact Charles Fransen (as to Bert, I joined him last year on a trip to Statia). Charles confirmed the absence of Adeonella in the Caribbean but suggested the bryozoan on the photo might be an Adeonellopsis. Bryozoa.net lists 5 recent or Cenozoic species of this genus for the Caribbean.

Due to logistic problems it is difficult to access collected specimens at Naturalis at this time, but as soon as more information becomes available I will post it here.

In the meantime maybe someone else may confirm Adeonellopsis or even propose another possibility.

Godfried

http://www.bryozoa.net/cheilostomata/adeonidae/adeonellopsis.html

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/C_Fransen

Thank you for the update, much appreciated! I will check out the Adeonellopsis.

Tom

Godfried,

I had problems uploading the Cheetham et al 2007 in my direct reply to your message so I am trying to upload it here, hope it works.

Tom

Thanks Tom for the link of Cheetham et al 2007. Only Adeonellopsis antilleana and A. subsulcata are recent species of this genus in the Caribbean and the latter occurs at shallow depths. Also A. subsulcata is a common species from N. Carolina to Brazil, so a possible candidate.

However, without studying details, other possibilities such as Metrarabdotos tuberosum may not be excluded 

Thank you for the info, one of these days I'll have to get back to the Caribbean.

Cheers,

Tom