Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967, 1889

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 52-53

Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967

( Figs. 5 E-F)

Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967: 242 , pl. XVIII fig. 3, text-fig. 13.

Ancorina radix var. nanosclera ; Vacelet & Vasseur 1971: 69, fig. 11.

The forma was described by Lévi from Natal, South Africa, 30.7833°S 30.45°E, depth 36 m (holotype MNHN-IP-2015-1050). The variety differs from the typical variety of Ancorina radix Marenzeller (1889 from Lesina, Adriatic Sea, approximate coordinates 42.0167°N 15.3333°E, 3 wet syntypes in NHM Wien (Vienna Museum) reg. nr. 1619/14710, including a number of slides) in the much smaller size of the sanidasters (present variety 4 µm, typical variety 12 µm). This difference is apparently consistent as also the Madagascar specimen reported by Vacelet & Vasseur had these small sanidasters. There is also a subtle difference in the shape of the cladome of the plagiotriaenes. The typical variety is reported from South Africa as well ( Burton 1926: 13) and also from Madagascar ( Vacelet & Vasseur 1971). If these records are accurate then the two varieties are sympatric, which is a reason to consider them distinct species, rather than subspecies. A complication is that the variety was described after 1960, thus rendering it infrasubspecific (ICZN art. 15.2) and excluding it from regulating by the Code (ICZN art. 45.6.3). I propose to erect a new name, identical to the unavailable name to avoid unnecessary confusion: Ancorina nanosclera nom.nov. but with the present authorship and date (in accordance with ICZN 45.5.1) and type material and type locality fixed here:

Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (France), Collection: Porifera (IP) . Holotype MNHN-IP-2015- 1050 . Type locality Natal, South Africa, 30.7833°S 30.45°E, depth 36 m, 13-08-1958.

Figures

FIGURE 5. A. Axinella profunda var. kurushima Tanita, 1961: pl. IV fig. 14, B. Raspailia fruticosa var. tenuiramosa Dendy, 1905: pl. VIII fig. 5, C. Acanthella aculeata var. inconspicua Thiele, 1898: 54, pl. III fig. 6, D. Hymeraphia geniculata Topsent, 1892: 115, pl. I fig. 13, E–F. Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967, E. habitus pl. XVIII fig. 3, F. spicules text-fig. 13, G–H. Craniella cranium f. microspira Lévi, 1967, G. habitus pl. XIX fig. 2, H. spicules text-fig. 19, I. Craniella globosa var. anamonaena Tanita, 1968: text-fig. 15, J. Discodermia emarginata var. lamellaris Wilson, 1925: pl. 43 fig. 5, K. Geodia ataxastra var. angustana Von Lendenfeld, 1910: pl. 44 fig. 25, L. Geodia hilgendorfi var. granosa Thiele, 1898: pl. VI figs. 4i–k, M. Geodia japonica var. spherulifera Wilson, 1925: pl. 38 fig. 1, N. Geodia megastrella var. laevispina Carter, 1876: pl. XVI fig. 47.