Hymedesmia unistellata var. aspera Topsent, 1904

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 78

Hymedesmia unistellata var. aspera Topsent, 1904

( Fig. 8I )

Hymedesmia unistellata var. aspera Topsent, 1904: 112 , pl. XII fig. 7.

Timea unistellata var. aspera ; Topsent 1928: 36; Lehnert & Heimler 2001: 218.

The variety was described by Topsent from Prince Albert 1 er Monaco Cruises Stat. 899, Azores, 37.95°N 29.233°W, depth 200 m (type material in the Monaco Museum and slides in the Paris Museum). The variety was largely ignored by authors reporting on the sponges from the Azores (e.g. Topsent 1928; Boury-Esnault & Lopes 1985) and the Western Mediterranean (e.g. Pulitzer-Finali 1983). Differences with the typical variety of Hymedesmia unistellata Topsent (1892: xxvii, from Cap l’Abeille, Banyuls, S of France, 42.4778°N 3.1556°E, holotype MNHN DT 2446) noted by Topsent were longer and thicker tylostyles (up to 1400 µm vs up to 400 µm) and asters have spined rays vs. smooth. The latter difference is probably not tenable, but the tylostyle size difference was reason for Lehnert & Heimler (2001) to key out the present variety as a separate taxon. Furthermore, the thin encrustations of both the present and the typical variety differ as the present variety is hispid, whereas the typical variety is “almost” smooth (confirmed by Pulitzer 1983). The two major differences, the hispid surface and much longer and thicker tylostyles appear sufficient to indicate specific difference and accordingly I propose to recognize the present variety as Timea aspera ( Topsent, 1904) .

Figures

FIGURE 8. A. Cliona argus var. laevicollis Thiele, 1898: pl. VIII fig. 15, B. Spirastrella decumbens var. Ridley & Dendy, 1887: pl. XLV fig. 12, C–D. Spirastrella digitata Hentschel, 1909, C. habitus pl. XXII fig. 7, D. spicules text-fig. 18, E. Spirastrella vagabunda var. arabica Topsent, 1893: fig. 1, F. Suberites inconstans var. digitata Dendy, 1887: pl. IX fig. 2, G. Suberites inconstans var. globosa Dendy, 1887: pl. IX fig. 1, H. Suberites inconstans var. maeandrina Dendy, 1887: pl. X fig. 1, I. Hymedesmia unistellata var. aspera Topsent, 1904: pl. XII fig. 7, J. Timea crassa; sensu Lévi, 1952: fig. 10, K. Timea hallezi var. crassa; sensu Lévi, 1952: fig. 9, L. Aaptos niger Hoshino, 1981b: pl. II fig. 5, M. Halichondria bowerbanki var. stellifera Breton, Girard & Lagardère, 1995: fig. 9, N. Hymeniacidon kerguelensis var. capensis Hentschel, 1914: pl. VIII fig. 8, O. Pellina longispicula f. tahanrohensis Czerniavsky, 1880: pl. II (VI) figs. 15b-c, P. Pseudosuberites hyalinus var. compacta Hentschel, 1914: pl. IV fig. 1.