Aulospongus californianus, Aguilar-Camacho & Carballo, 2013

Aguilar-Camacho, Jose Maria & Carballo, Jose Luis, 2013, Raspailiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Axinellida) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean with the description of seven new species, Journal of Natural History (J. Nat. Hist.) 47 (25 - 28), pp. 1663-1706 : 1678-1680

Aulospongus californianus sp. nov.

( Figures 1E , 10 , 11 )

Material examined

Holotype: MCNM 1.01 / 656, 11 / 04 / 2011, Station 32 Talud XIV (Gulf of California, MEX) 122 m (27 ◦ 56 ′ 13 ′′ N, 111 ◦ 19 ′ 44 ′′ W) . Paratypes: 2060-LEB-ICML-UNAM, 11 / 04 / 2011, Station 32 Talud XIV (Gulf of California, MEX) 122 m (27 ◦ 56 ′ 13 ′′ N, 111 ◦ 19 ′ 44 ′′ W) . 2061-LEB-ICML-UNAM, 11 / 04 / 2011, Station 32 Talud XIV (Gulf of California, MEX) 122 m (27 ◦ 56 ′ 13 ′′ N, 111 ◦ 19 ′ 44 ′′ W) . 2062-LEB-ICML-UNAM, 11 / 04 / 2011, Station 32 Talud XIV (Gulf of California, MEX) 122 m (27 ◦ 56 ′ 13 ′′ N, 111 ◦ 19 ′ 44 ′′ W).

Description

Massive or vase-shaped sponge, 1–2 cm in diameter and 3–5 cm high. Surface hispid with spicule projections evenly distributed. Oscula (6–10 mm) and ostia are circular

to oval-shaped (100–150 µm). Consistency hard and difficult to tear. Colour in preservation pale beige ( Figure 1E ).

Skeleton

Straight choanosomal styles: 580–1130 × 25–45 µm ( Figures 10A , 11A ). Microspined rhabdostyles in two sizes: the first curved and with prominent spines: 340–610 × 22.5–35 µm ( Figures 10B , 11B ); the second short, with the head pronounced: 150–360 × 10–30 µm ( Figures 10C , 11C ). The spines are localized on the terminal third of the spicule. Curved ectosomal styles / anisoxeas: 290–460 × 2.5–5 µm ( Figures 10D , 11D ) ( Table 6). The ectosomal skeleton is a dense layer of styles / anisoxeas with the points of the spicules protruding externally (30–80 µm thick). Multispicular ascending fibres (480–600 µm thick) ( Figure 11E ) form a plumose choanosomal skeleton.

Remarks

Aulospongus californianus sp. nov. is a deep-sea species from the Gulf of California. The only species assigned to this genus in the Eastern Pacific is Aulospongus cerebella ( Dickinson 1945) . This is a tubular sponge with straight styles and microspined rhabdostyles in one category (see above). Aulospongus californianus sp. nov., has ectosomal styles / anisoxeas and rhabdostyles in two categories while A. cerebella lacks the ectosomal spicules and the rhabdostyles are in one category.

Etymology

Named californianus for the type locality.

Figures

Figure 1. Photographs of preserved sponges from this study. (A) Raspailia (Parasyringella) rubra sp. nov. (B) Raspailia (Raspaxilla) hymani (Dickinson 1945). (C) Raspailia (Raspaxilla) hyle (de Laubenfels 1930). (D) Aulospongus cerebella (Dickinson 1945). (E) Aulospongus californianus sp. nov. (F) Aulospongus aurantiacus sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, D, F); 2 cm (C, E); 4 cm (B).

Figure 10. Aulospongus californianus sp. nov. Scanning electron microscopy images of spicules. (A) Choanosomal style straight; (B) rhabdostyle microspined I; (C) rhabdostyle micrsospined II; (D) ectosomal style. Scale bars: 50 µm (A), 10 µm (B), 100 µm (C, D).

Figure 11. Drawings of Aulospongus californianus sp. nov. (A) Choanosomal style straight; (B) rhabdostyle microspined I; (C) rhabdostyle microspined II; (D) ectosomal style/anisoxeas; (E) choanosomal skeleton (ascending fibre bundles). Scale bars: 60 µm (A–D), 250 µm (E).