Spirastrella vagabunda var. arabica Topsent, 1893

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 77

Spirastrella vagabunda var. arabica Topsent, 1893

( Fig. 8E )

Spirastrella vagabunda var. arabica Topsent, 1893: 177 , fig. 1.

The variety was described by Topsent from two localities in the Gulf of Aden, the first mentioned and illustrated was from the Gulf of Tadjoura, Banc de la Clocheterie, Djibouti approximate coordinates 11.95°N 43.3°E (syntype MNHN D.T. 1967), the second syntype was from Karaman Island, Yemen, approximate coordinates 15.3333°N 42.6167°E (no known reg.nr.). The differences noted by Topsent with the typical variety Spirastrella vagabunda Ridley (1884: 468 , pl. XLIII fig. c, from Torres Strait. N Australia, 10.6°S 132.13°E, depth 7-13 m, wet syntypes BMNH 1882.23.243 and 307, fide Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: 375) are massive habit with ‘pyramidal’ oscula bearing lobes, which were closed in the preserved specimens. The tylostyles are thicker than those of the typical variety, and the spirasters likewise are somewhat thicker. These differences are meagre and Topsent himself was convinced that the Gulf of Aden material was not specifically different from Ridley’s types from Torres Straits. In view of the occurrence over the Indo-West Pacific of several described forms and varieties of this species which were all ultimately judged to be products of a widespread variable species, I propose to merge Topsent’s variety with the species to be named Spheciospongia vagabunda ( Ridley, 1884) .

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.