Crella (Pytheas) crassa ( Hentschel, 1914 )

Schejter, Laura, Cristobo, Javier & Ríos, Pilar, 2024, New records of demosponges (Porifera) from the South Orkney Islands (Antarctica) with a checklist for the region, Zootaxa 5403 (4), pp. 401-430 : 411

Crella (Pytheas) crassa ( Hentschel, 1914)

( Fig. 5a–f )

Restricted synonymy: Grayella crassa Hentschel, 1914 , Pytheas crassa ( Hentschel, 1914) .

Material examined: 5 small specimens collected in station 11 ( SOI; 60°53'S, 42°35'W; 487 m; 10/3/2014; MACN-In 44363; IEO-CSIC Col.) .

Description: Massive to elongate specimens, light beige. Surface areolated ( Figure 5a ). Ectosome is a dense layer of acanthostyles, supported by multispicular fibers in the choanosome ( Figure 5e, f ). Megascleres are strongyles 430–500µm by 10µm, and acanthostyles, some slightly curved, 100–180 µm by 5 µm. Microscleres are arcuate isochelae of 25 µm ( Figure 5 b–d ).

Remarks: This species has been recorded from Antarctic waters by Henstchel (1914), Koltun (1964) and Göcke & Janussen (2013), among others. This is a new record for the SOI.

Figures

FIGURE 5. a–f. Crella (Pytheas) crassa. a, general morphology, scale: 1 cm; b, Strongyle, scale: 110 µm; c, Acanthostyle, scale: 60 µm; d, Isochela, Scale:12.5 µm; e–f, Skeleton, scale: 200 µm; g–i. Isodictya kerguelenensis. g, General morphology, scale: 4 cm; h, isochelae, scale: 8 µm; i, Oxea, scale: 170 µm; j–l. Isodictya verrucosa. j, General morphology, scale: 3 cm; k, Isochela, scale: 12 µm; l, Oxea, scale: 200 µm; m–p. Isodictya lankesteri. m, General morphology, scale: 8.5 cm; n, Canonochela, scale: 30 µm; o, Oxea, scale: 130 µm; p, skeleton, scale: 100 µm.