Latrunculia (Biannulata) wellingtonensis Alvarez et al., 2002

Samaai, Toufiek, Gibbons, Mark J. & Kelly, Michelle, 2006, Revision of the genus Latrunculia du Bocage, 1869 Porifera: Demospongiae: Latrunculiidae) with descriptions of new species from New Caledonia and the Northeastern Pacific (, Zootaxa 1127 (1), pp. 1-71 : 63-64

Latrunculia (Biannulata) wellingtonensis Alvarez et al., 2002

(Figs 6E, 7, 8I, 10B; Tables 2 & 3)

[?] Latrunculia sp. B Lill et al., 1995:310 (in part) after Alvarez et al., 2002; Latrunculia wellingtonensis

Alvarez et al., 2002, PG. 164, FIG. 3C, 6

Holotype material. Not examined, NZOI H­796 (98 BR29 ).

Additional Paratype material. Not examined, NZOI P­1263 (98 BR7 ), NZOI P­1264, 97 PH (4, 5, 21, 27), 98 BR (2, 7, 25, 29).

Other material examined. Ts 110, Barrets reef, Wellington, New Zealand, depth 10–15 m, collected by Allan Duckworth, xxx September, 1997 .

Diagnosis. Small, ovo­spherical sponge ( Fig. 8I) with pore areas, variable in size and shape (round, oval or irregular), encircled by mammiform areolate porefields. Colour in life light olive green; in preservative pale gray. Styles are hastate and polytylote styles are also present, 323 (300–346) x 7 (7) m, n=20 Anisodiscorhabds (Fig. 6E) with an expanded manubrium and stout shaft. There is also no basal whorl of spines present above the manubrium as characteristic for this subgenus. The subsidiary whorl is absent or reduced. The Medium whorl is deeply notched along the rim and are divided into segments, each segment possessing denticulate margins of 5–7 spines, 35 (32–35) x 5 (5) m, n=20 [Holotype 33 (23–42) x 5 (3–7) m, n=20 (after Alvarez et al., 2002)]. The choanosomal skeleton is a dense, irregular polygonal­meshed reticulation and within the inner choanosome, the tracts are more robust and compact and diverge towards the surface where they become more vertically arranged ( Fig. 10B ). The sponge are found on vertical rock faces, in surge and shade areas at a depth of between 7–20 m, but most common between 10 and 15 m (after Alvarez et al. 2002).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 7 ). New Zealand (south end of North Island­ Wellington)

Remarks. The homogenous nature of the choanosomal skeleton within any given species of Latrunculia makes it fairly difficult to define species. Species defined within this genus possess discorhabds with four whorls (lobes) of spines. Species differ in the shape of the discorhabds as well as in the structure and position of the different lobes present. The discorhabd in this species is structurally different from that of L. Kaakaariki in that it is relatively thicker ( Table 3) and less ornamented ( Alvarez et al. 2002). This species also include the genetic group that was identified by Miller et al. (2001) as “ Wellington ” ( Alvarez et al. 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Worldwide distributions of Latrunculia (Biannulata) species. Distributions of A) Latrunculia spinispiraefera Brøndsted, B) Latrunculia citharistae Vacelet, C) Latrunculia purpurea Carter, D) Latrunculia oparinae Samaai and Krasokhin; E) Latrunculia lunaviridis Samaai and Kelly; F) Latrunculia microacanthoxea Samaai and Kelly; G) Latrunculia kaakaariki Alvarez et al.; H) Latrunculia duckworthi Alvarez et al.; I) Latrunculia procumbens Alvarez et al.; J) Latrunculia wellingtonensis Alvarez et al., 2002; K) Latrunculia kaikoura Alvarez et al.; L) Latrunculia millerae Alvarez et al.; M). Latrunculia austini sp. nov.

FIGURE 10. Photomicrographs of choanosomal architectures: A. Latrunculia duckworthi Alvarez et al. 2002; B. Latrunculia wellingtonensis Alvarez et al. 2002; C. Latrunculia kaikoura Alvarez et al. 2002; D. Gross morphology of Latrunculia kaikoura Alvarez et al. 2002.