Axinella antarctica ( Koltun, 1964 )

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 : 418

Axinella antarctica ( Koltun, 1964)

( Fig 9a–c )

Restricted synonymy: Bubaris antarctica Koltun, 1964 .

Material examined: 3 specimens collected at station 11 ( SOI; 60°53'S, 42°35'W; 487 m; 10/3/2014; MACN-In 44360; IEO-CSIC Col.) .

Description: Massive or globular sponge, uneven surface covered with conules. Beige in colour. Spicules are irregularly curved oxeas 480-1170 µm by 20-40 µm and styles 650-3025 µm by 20-50 µm ( Figure 9 ).

Remarks: This species has been recorded from Antarctic waters by Koltun (1964) and Göcke & Janussen (2013). It has also been recorded from Chile ( Desqueyroux 1976) and New Zealand ( Kelly et al. 2009). This represents the first record for the SOI.

Figures

FIGURE 9. a–c. Axinella antarctica, a. general morphology, scale: 2 cm; b. style, scale: 450 µm; c. flexuous oxea, scale: 200 µm; d-i. Raspailia (H.) hentscheli, d. habitus of fresh specimen, morphology, scale: 5 mm. e. ends of choanosomal styles, scale: 100 µm. f, slender styles, scale: 100 µm. g. echinating acanthostyles, scale: 30 µm. h. skeletal arrangement, central axis of styles, scale: 500 µm. i. skeletal arrangement, detail of echinating acanthostyles (Smooth arrows) and thin styles (Dashed line arrows), scale: 100 µm.