Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001

Van, Rob W. M., 2017, Sponges of the Guyana Shelf, Zootaxa 1, pp. 1-225 : 14-15

Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001

Figures 5 a–b

Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001: 145 , figs 1–2, 4–6; Pinheiro et al. 2007: 3 , figs 1A, 2, 3A (with further synonyms).

Material examined. RMNH Por. 9340, French Guyana, ‘Luymes’ Guyana Shelf Expedition, station 14, 6.7333°N 52.75°W, depth 76 m, bottom muddy calcareous sand, 26 August 1970 .

Description. A short tubular branch ( Fig. 5 a) of 9 x 2–3 cm diameter. The surface is finely conulose. The apical oscule has an iris-type diaphragm and is 5 mm in diameter. Color in alcohol is dark pink. Consistency compressible.

Skeleton. ( Fig. 5 b) A three-dimensional reticulation of rounded or elongately polygonal meshes made by amber colored fibers, of 70–130 µm diameter. The fibers have a vaguely striated bark and a pith occupying about 1/ 3 of the fiber thickness.

Distribution and ecology. Guyana Shelf (if correctly identied), Eastern Brazil, from 2–76 m depth (previously down to 12 m).

Remarks. The descriptions by Pinheiro & Hajdu (2001) and Pinheiro et al. (2007) match the present specimen closely, but the depth from where it was obtained and the distance from the type locality throw some doubt on the identification.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001, RMNH Por. 9340, a, habitus (scale bar = 1 cm), b, light microscopic image of skeleton of pithed fibers.