Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)
Dulai, A.: Middle Miocene (Badenian) lunulitiform Bryozoa from Szob (Börzsöny Mts., Hungary)
The colonies of lunulitiform Bryozoa are very fragile, so unbroken specimens can hardly be found. If the colony get hurt during the life of the animal, it can regenerate itself from a very small fragment. Injuries to colonies are caused by attacks of predators or different activities of benthic animals (holothurians, sea-urchins, hermit crabs) (LAGAAIJ 1963, GREELY 1967). ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERS OF LUNULITIFORM BRYOZOA The fine-grained sandy bottom is ideal for lunulitiform Bryozoa. According to LAGAAIJ (1963), recent species can never be found at a purely clayey bottom. In contrast, BALUK & RADWANSKI (1977a, b, 1984b) desribed 3 lunulitiform Bryozoa from Miocene Korytnica Clay of Poland. So lunulitiform species can tolerate a small amount of clay sedimentation. The minimum tolerable water depth varies from place to place as a function of the intensity of water turbulence over the bottom (wave base, bottom currents). Lunulitiform Bryozoa cannot live in the littoral zone, they live only at the stable bottoms below wave base. For example, in recent seas they cannot be found between 0-10 m (LAGAAIJ 1963) or between 0-20 m (CADÉE 1975). A bottom which is shallower but densely covered by sea grasses was mentioned for lunulitiform Bryozoa in Korytnica Basin (BALUK & RADWANSKI 1977a, b 1984b, and HOFFMAN 1977). The maximum water depth depends on the temperature of the bottom water. According to LAGAAIJ (1963), lunulitiform Bryozoa can be found at water temperatures between 12-30 °C. The recent geographical distribution of Cupuladria canariensis (BUSK) is limited by the 14 °C surface isocrymes, so the species refers to tropical-subtropical climate. The same holds true of Discoporella umbellata (DEFRANCE) (COOK 1965a). Lunulitiform Bryozoa mostly live in normal salt water but in shallow water they can tolerate a reduced salt content down to 28%o. However, higher than normal salinity is absolutely unacceptable for lunulitiform species. PALEOBIOGEOGRAPHY Lunulitiform Bryozoa were mentioned from some localities in the area of Central Paratethys. BALUK & RADWANSKI (1984a) summarized the Badenian lunulitiform species of the Vienna Basin and six species was described (Cupuladria canariensis (BUSK), C. vindobonensis BALUK et RADWANSKI, Reussirella haidingeri (REUSS), Reussirella reussiana (MANZONI), Discoporella umbellata (DEFRANCE), Lunulites androsaces MANZONI). Three lunulitiform Bryozoa have been reported from Poland by MALECKI (1951) and BALUK & RADWANSKI (1984b) (C. vindobonensis BALUK et RADWANSKI, R. haidingeri (REUSS), L. androsaces MANZONI). Cupuladria canariensis (BUSK) was mentioned from the Transylvanian Basin by COOK (1965b), however these specimens were regarded as C. vindobonensis by BALUK & RADWANSKI (1984a, b). Up to now lunulitiform Bryozoa have only been mentioned in fauna-lists in Hungary. In many cases the determination stopped at generic level. For this reason, researchers of the paleobiogeographic distribution of this group do not indicate the occurrence of lunulitiform Bryozoa from Hungary. In some papers Eisenstadt in the Vienna Basin appeared as a part of Hungary based on CANU & BASSLER's (1924) work where this recently Austrian town was mentioned as a Hungarian locality. One of the rare exceptions is constituted by the works of BALUK & RADWANSKI (1984a, b), in which Reussirella haidingeri was mentioned from Szob, referring to MANZONI (1877). However, a short study of the literature will show us that lunulitiform Bryozoa have been found in numerous Neogene localities of Hungary. Some examples, without a claim to completeness:
