Eurypon patriciae, 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 : 1683-1687

Eurypon patriciae sp. nov.

( Figures 14A , 15 , 16 )

Material examined

Holotype: MCNM 1.01 / 658, 18 / 10 / 2001, Isla Lobos 1 (Mazatlán, Sinaloa) 5 m (23 ◦ 13 ′ 49 ′′ N, 106 ◦ 27 ′ 43 ′′ W) . Paratypes: 107-LEB-ICML-UNAM, 18 / 10 / 2001, Isla Lobos 1 (Mazatlán, Sinaloa) 5 m (23 ◦ 13 ′ 49 ′′ N, 106 ◦ 27 ′ 43 ′′

W).128-LEB-ICML-UNAM, 18 / 10 / 2001, Isla Lobos 1 (Mazatlán, Sinaloa) 5 m (23 ◦ 13 ′ 49 ′′ N, 106 ◦ 27 ′ 43 ′′ W).

Description

Encrusting sponge, size 2–4 cm length × 1–3 cm width and 6–8 mm thick growing over rocks. Oscules and ostia are not visible. Surface hispid due to evenly distributed projecting spicules. Consistency fleshy and difficult to tear. Colour in life yellow or green, pale brown in preservation ( Figure 14A ).

Skeleton

Straight choanosomal tylostyles: 1320–2400 × 10–25 µm ( Figures 15A, B , 16A ). Acanthostyles with short recurved spines in two sizes: 1) 130–180 × 5–7.5 µm ( Figures 15C , 16C ); 2) 55–87.5 × 2.5–5 µm ( Figures 15D , 16C ). Straight strongyloxeas / styles: 400–550 × 5–10 µm ( Figures 15E , 16B ) ( Table 8). The ectosomal skeleton is absent. The points of the spicules are protruding externally. The choanosomal skeleton has a hymedesmoid structure. Main tylostyles and acanthostyles are embedded in a spongin layer (20–40 µm thick). The strongyloxeas and styles are dispersed in groups of one to three arranged along the tylostyles in the choanosome ( Figure 16D ).

Remarks

Eurypon patriciae sp. nov. is a subtidal sponge distributed in the Gulf of California. In the Eastern Pacific, there are two species assigned to this genus. Eurypon nigrum Bergquist 1967 is a blue encrusting sponge described from Oahu (Hawaii). It has tylostyles in two sizes (1200–2400 µm × 6–12 µm and 170–800 × 6–12 µm) and acanthotylostyles (70–165 × 6–9 µm). The spicule measurements are similar in these two species. However, E. nigrum has tylostyles as ectosomal spicules while E. patriciae sp. nov. has strongyloxeas and styles. Eurypon miniaceum Thiele 1905 is a red encrusting sponge described from Calbuco ( Chile) at 30 m depth. It has tylostyles in three categories (2000–3000 × 30 µm; 800 × 30 µm; and> 120 µm), acanthostyles (120 µm) and subectosomal styles (550 × 5 µm). Eurypon patriciae sp. nov. has one category of styles while E. miniaceum has three.

Etymology

Named for Patricia Bergquist for her contribution to sponge science.

Figures

Figure 14. Photographs of preserved sponges from this study. (A) Eurypon patriciae sp. nov. (B) Eurypon tylospinosum sp. nov. (C) Eurypon diversicolor sp. nov. (D) Eurypon brunus sp. nov. Scale bars: 1 cm (A, B, D), 2 cm (C).

Figure 15. Eurypon patriciae sp. nov. Scanning electron microscopy images of spicules. (A) Choanosomal tylostyle head; (B) choanosomal tylostyle end; (C) acanthostyle I; (D) acanthostyle II; (E) subectosomal style. Scale bars: 2 µm (A), 10 µm (B, D), 20 µm (C), 100 µm (D).

Figure 16. Drawings of Eurypon patriciae sp. nov. (A) Choanosomal tylostyles; (B) strongyloxeas/styles; (C) acanthostyles recurved by short spines (two categories); (D) choanosomal skeleton (hymedesmoid). Scale bars: 850 µm (A–C), 140 µm (D).