Latrunculia (Latrunculia) oxydiscorhabda 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 : 41-43

Latrunculia (Latrunculia) oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al., 2002

( Figs 1K, 2 , 3E, 5B , 6H1; Tables 2 & 3)

Synonymy. Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al. 2002 , PG. 174, FIG. 11A–F

Holotype material. NZOI H­801 (cross ref. Z9243; BA POR 339­ Belinda code and Ts 57): 34 22.6’S, 172 46.5’E, depth 44 m, collected by FV Ben Gunn, February, 1997.

Other material examined. NZNM POR 613 ( NZNM) (cross ref. TS 106), between Pandora Bank and Cape Maria van Diemen, New Zealand, 34 29.4’S, 172 35.2’E, depth 38–43 m, collected on R. V Tangaroa, February, 1991. NZOI stn D194.2 (cross ref. TS 53.2), 50º 44'S, 166º 21'E collection unknown, 95 m

Additional material. 99 TKI 1–15; 99 TKI 1–16; MNP 218 [ NIWA collection­station and locality data details are outlined in Appendix 1, Alvarez et al. (2002)].

Diagnosis Massive, ovo­spherical sponge ( Fig. 3E) with numerous raised fistulae, either mushroom­, volcano­ or cylindrical­shaped. The cylindrical­shaped oscules are large and occur at the apex of the sponge, whereas the volcano­shaped oscules are randomly scattered across the sponge surface, each with a small opening at the apex. The mushroom­shaped mammiform areolate porefields are truncated at the apex, covered with a fleshy poral membrane. Colour in life chocolate­brown; in preservative brown. Styles are hastate and slightly sinuous, 465 (355.6–510.5) x 7 (4.8–8.9) m, n=20. Anisodiscorhabds, ( Fig. 1K) with clearly separated and lightly spined manubrium, basal whorl, subsidiary and apical whorls. The whorls are equidistant apart, with the median whorl larger in diameter than the subsidiary and apical whorls. The whorls are deeply notched along the rim and divided into four segments, each segment possessing denticulate margins of 6–7 spines. The apical whorl is separate from the subsidiary whorl by a short shaft, the spines projecting upwards ending in a crown­like tuft of acute spined projections, 34 (30–39) x 5 (5) m, n=20. Metaster­like microscleres (oxydiscorhabd) (Fig. 6H1) are also present: 46 x 35 µm, n=20. The choanosomal skeleton is a dense meandering, irregular polygonal­meshed reticulation, being more robust and compact towards the surface ( Fig. 5B ). The sponge whose habitat is rocky substrata are found on vertical to steeply sloping rock faces always in shade and associated with algae and other sponges in coastal waters at 2–44 m depth. This species is also very abundant between 5–7 m in strong surge areas in coastal waters (after Alvarez et al., 2002) and has also been recorded to occur in deeper waters, 95 m.

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 2 ). New Zealand; Subantarctica.

FIGURE 6. Scanning electron micrographs or drawings comparing discorhabd microscleres of Latrunculia spp : A. Latrunculia microacanthoxea Samaai and Kelly 2003 ; B. Latrunculia kaakaariki Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); C. Latrunculia duckworthi Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); D. Latrunculia procumbens Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); E. Latrunculia wellingtonensis Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); F. Latrunculia kaikoura Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); G. Latrunculia millerae Alvarez et al. 2002 (REPRODUCED FROM ALVAREZ et al. 2002); H1 Scanning electron micrograph of the metaster strepaster’s as found in Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda ; H2. Scanning electron micrograph of the oxeated megascleres as found in Latrunculia purpurea ; N. SEM photo of megasclere showing terminal spination as found in Latrunculia oparinae Samaai and Krasokhin 2002 .

Remarks. The occurrence of metaster­like microscleres in L. oxydiscorhabda is a unique within the genus Latrunculia (Samaai 2002; Alvarez et al. 2002; Samaai and Kelly 2002), but not unprecedented in the Order Poecilosclerida . Podospongia natalensis ( Kirkpatrick, 1903b) (Family Podospongiidae , Suborder Mycalina ) from the east coast of South Africa and Barbozia primitiva ( Dendy 1922) (Family Mycalidae , Suborder Mycalina ) also possess metaster­like microscleres. While the morphology of these metasters is similar in the three genera, no phylogenetic affinity can be attributed apart from their union in the Order Poecilosclerida .

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 5. Photomicrographs of choanosomal architectures: A. Latrunculia ikematsui Tanita 1968; B. Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al. 2002; C. Latrunculia triverticillata Alvarez et al. 2002; D. Latrunculia austini sp. nov.; E. Latrunculia citharistae Vacelet 1969; F. Latrunculia purpurea Carter 1881.