Latrunculia (Biannulata) kaikoura 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 : 64-65

Latrunculia (Biannulata) kaikoura Alvarez et al., 2002

(Figs 6F, 7, 10C, 10D; Tables 2 & 3)

Latrunculia kaikoura Alvarez et al., 2002 , PG. 166, FIG. 7

Holotype material. Not examined, NZOI H­797 (97 KK3­1 ), Niwa collection.

Additional Paratype material. Not examined, NZOI P­1265 (97 KK1­1 ) ; NZOI P­1266 (97 KK2­4 ), Niwa collection .

Other material examined. NZOI stn W452 (cross ref. Ts 56) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 43º 26.99'S; 175º 08.10'E, depth 120–180 m, collected on the 22/02/1995 . NZNM POR 567 (cross ref. Ts 99) unidentified sponge in NZM collection, North Otago, New Zealand, depth 90 m, collected by James Graham, December 1960 . NZNM POR 566 (cross ref. Ts 100) unidentified sponge in NZM collection, Ibukimaru, New Zealand, 47º 22.09'S, 169º 11.5'E, depth 156 m, collected by C. Morrish / B. King . NZOI stn D196 (cross ref. Ts 54.1) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 50º 55'S, 166º21'E, depth 110 m, collected on the 23/01/1964 . NZOI stn D194.2 (cross ref. Ts 53.1) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 50º 44'S; 166º 21'E, depth 95 m, collected on the 22/01/1964 . NZOI stn D196 (cross ref. Ts 54.2) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 50º 55'S; 166º 21'E, depth 110 m, collected on the 23/01/1964 .

Diagnosis. Small to massive, ovo­semispherical sponges with large cylindrical­shaped oscules at the apex, and with numerous volcano or mushroom­shaped areolate porefields with the apex truncated and covered by a fleshy poral membrane ( Fig. 10D ). Colour in life green; in preservative dark brown. Styles are hastate and slightly sinuous, 361 (327–384) x 7 (7) m, n=20 [Holotype 351 (278–423) x 6 (3–9) m, n=20 (after Alvarez et al., 2002)]. Anisodiscorhabds (Fig. 6F), have an expanded furcate manubrium. There is also no basal whorl of spines present above the manubrium as characteristic for this subgenus. The median whorl is midway between the manubrium and the subsidiary whorl and the whorls are deeply notched along the rim and divided into four segments, each segment possessing denticulate margins of 4–5 spines. The spines of the apical whorl are slanted upwards ending in a crown­like tuft of acute spined projections. The whorls are microspined, 37 (36–41) x 5 (5) m, n=20 [Holotype 34 (27–44) x 5 (2–8) m, n=20 (after Alvarez et al., 2002)]. The choanosomal skeleton consists of a dense, irregular polygonalmeshed reticulation and may form meshes that are often oval in the holotype ( Fig. 10C ). The surface of the ectosome and choanocyte chambers is lined with an erect layer of single discorhabds. Beneath the discorhabds in the ectosome is a thick paratangential layer of densely interlocking megascleres, approximately 300 m deep ( Fig. 2.27C ) [Holotype 100–300 m deep (after Alvarez et al. 2002)].

Off the New Zealand coastline the species are found on vertical walls, mostly in shade between 10–20 m depth . The species was dredge from deeper water. There is no record of the substratum type. Depth range 10–180 m.

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 7 ). New Zealand (South Island)

Remarks. According to Alvarez et al. (2002), this species is very similar in growth form to L. kaakaariki and L. wellingtonensis , although L. kaikoura appears to be smaller in diameter. The acanthodiscorhabds differ slightly from those of L. kaakaariki in having smooth instead of rough spines, and from L. wellingtonensis in being more ornamented, especially in the structure of the manubrium ( Alvarez et al. 2002). Alvarez et al. (2002) also separated these species from one another on the basis of morphometric genetic differences ( Miller et al. 2001). Alvarez et al. (2002), described the apical crown of the anisodiscorhabd, as found in L. kaikoura , in having a small apical prolongation and suggested that this species is closely related to L. apicalis Ridley and Dendy. The apical prolongation in L. apicalis and L. biformis is unique and develops as an extension in the center region of the crown that is made up of acute spines. The apical prolongation of the spines of L. kaikoura is due to the structure of the apical crown, in that the acute spines are oblong (a character that is evident in many Latrunculia species ) and therefore not homologous to the apical prolongations as found in L. apicalis and L. biformis . The remark by Alvarez et al. (2002) that L. kaikoura is closely related to L. apicalis Ridley and Dendy due to the presence of an apical prolongation is not supported here. Structurally, the acanthodiscorhabd of L. apicalis also have a basal (4 th) whorl just above the manubrium as indicated for species in the Latrunculia subgroup (“triverticillata group” Alvarez et al. 2002).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Worldwide distributions of Latrunculia (Latrunculia) species. Distributions of 1) Latrunculia cratera du Bocage, 2) L. bocagei Ridley and Dendy, 3) L. apicalis Ridley and Dendy, 4) L. biformis Kirkpatrick, 5) Latrunculia basilis Kirkpatrick, 6) L. brevis Ridley and Dendy, 7) Latrunculia palmata Lévi, 8) Latrunculia multirotalis Topsent, 9) Latrunculia crenulata Lévi, 10) Latrunculia ikematsui Tanita, 11) Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al., 12) Latrunculia triverticillata Alvarez et al., 13) Latrunculia fiordensis Alvarez et al., 14) Latrunculia novaecaledoniae sp. nov.

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.