identifier	taxonID	type	CVterm	format	language	title	description	additionalInformationURL	UsageTerms	rights	Owner	contributor	creator	bibliographicCitation
03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FD6E5DA4FB95.text	03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FD6E5DA4FB95.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Gellius) (Gray 1867)	<div><p>Subgenus  Gellius</p><p>Definition.  Chalinidae with a choanosomal skeleton consisting of a rather confused, subhalichondroid reticulation of pauci- to multispicular primary lines, irregularly connected by unispicular secondary lines. Ectosomal skeleton, if present, either a regular, tangential, unispicular, isotropic reticulation, or consisting of irregularly strewn, tangentially orientated spicules. Microscleres if present, sigmas and toxas (modified from de Weerdt 2002).</p><p>Remarks. The definition of  Gellius from de Weerdt (2002) does not include presence of microscleres but it was published as a “key to subgenera of  Haliclona ” by de Weerdt (2002). As such, the statement “microscleres if present, sigmas and toxas” have been added to the original definition.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FD6E5DA4FB95	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FE625B93FDB9.text	03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FE625B93FDB9.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona Grant 1841	<div><p>Haliclona Grant 1841</p><p>Definition.  Chalinidae with secondary lines unispicular and one spicule long (Bispo et al. 2022; de Weerdt 2002).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFB0FC54FF22FE625B93FDB9	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFB0FC57FF22FBDA5D06F8B5.text	03EC8C6EFFB0FC57FF22FBDA5D06F8B5.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Gellius) loe Vicente & Rutkowski & Lavrov & Martineau & Timmers & Toonen 2025	<div><p>Haliclona (Gellius) loe sp. nov. (Fig. 2–3, Table 1)</p><p>LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 07053669-D76E-437D-8628-C4B7DDFCB540</p><p>Haliclona sp. JV 11 in Vicente et al., 2022a, 2022b</p><p>Holotype and type locality. BPBM C1523 <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7908&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4324" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7908/lat 21.4324)">-Mammal pens at Moku o Loʻe</a> (Coconut Island), Kāne‘ohe Bay, Oʻahu, (21.4324 °N, - 157.7908 °W); 0.5 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2016-12-16  .  Paratypes. BPBM C1549,   BPBM C1533; ARMS in mesocosms at the <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7864&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7864/lat 21.4335)">Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology</a> (HIMB) in Moku o Loʻe (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7864&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7864/lat 21.4335)">Coconut Island</a>), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7864&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7864/lat 21.4335)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, Oʻahu, (21.4335 °N, - 157.7864 °W); 0.3 m coll. Jan Vicente, 2018-03-16, 2018-03-16, and 2018-06-11 respectively  .   BPBP C1534 - <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.894&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.3208" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.894/lat 21.3208)">Keʻehi harbor</a>, Oʻahu (21.3208 °N, - 157.8940 °W); 2 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2018-5-15  .   BPBM C1673 - <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.8566&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.2937" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.8566/lat 21.2937)">Kewalo Marina</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.8566&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.2937" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.8566/lat 21.2937)">Oʻahu</a> (21.2937 °N, - 157.8566 °W); 3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2018-5-25  .   BPBM C1672 - <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-158.0626&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.6534" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -158.0626/lat 21.6534)">Pūpūkea Marine Life Conservation District</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-158.0626&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.6534" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -158.0626/lat 21.6534)">Oʻahu</a> (21.6534, -158.0626); 10 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2022-09-03.  Additional information from other vouchers can be found in Table S1.</p><p>Diagnosis. A thickly encrusting or cushion shaped  Haliclona (Gellius), with light yellow, bright yellow, brownish pink exterior and interior, uneven punctate surface, firm but crumbly consistency, undefined ectosome but with a unispicular to paucispicular confused choanosomal skeleton that becomes more unispicular and isodictyal closer to the surface, spicules are oxeas (138–253 x 1– 9 µm) and small sigmas (7–12.0 x 0.3–1.1 µm).</p><p>Description (Fig. 2): Thick (1–2 cm) cushion-shaped encrustation that spreads laterally (16 cm). Surface can be hispid, uneven, bumpy and punctate. Oscula are volcano shaped measuring between 2–6 mm in diameter and rise 0.5 cm from the base of the sponge surface. Consistency is firm but crumbly and breaks easily when compressed. Color in life of the sponge surface varies between light brownish pink in small recruits to faint yellow and bright yellow in larger specimens, sponge interior is brownish pink. Exudes dark brown pigments when preserved in ethanol and the remaining color of the specimen is grey. Embryos measuring 500 µm in diameter were abundant in the choanosome of the holotype BPBM C1523 (Fig. 2b).</p><p>Skeleton (Fig. 3a–e): Ectosome is not specialized. The choanosome is confused, isotropic, consisting of unispicular to paucispicular (1–2 spicule thick) lines occasionally in isodictyal reticulation but also halichondroid. Reticulation is more confused deep in the choanosome and becomes somewhat anisotropic closer to the ectosome. At the surface, more organized, unispicular to paucispicular lines are connected irregularly by unispicular secondary lines which occasionally break the surface by a single oxea (100–140 µm from the surface). 4–10 spicules meet at the nodes forming triangular (90–100 µm in diameter), pentagonal, and hexagonal meshes (up to 240 µm in diameter). A network of canals (cavernous system) is observed in the choanosome. Spongin is present at the nodes and throughout the skeleton giving the choanosome a light brown pigmentation.</p><p>Spicules (Fig. 3 f-h; Table 1): Oxeas straight and curved at the center with acerate tips 138–179–253 x 1–5– 9 µm (Fig. 3f–g). Oxeas with blunt tips are rare. Sigmas are C-shaped, very abundant throughout the sponge tissue, and are in a single size category 8.7–9.9–12.0 x 0.3–0.6–1.1 µm (Fig. 2h).</p><p>Habitat and ecology. Specimens were collected inside lava tubes on Oahu’s North shore, on shaded pilings in Keʻehi Harbor on the south shore, and on nets that used to confine mammals at HIMB. Specimens were also collected inside mesocosm ARMS. Absence of these species on reef ARMS, where the surrounding sponge community is at a climax stage of succession, suggests that  Haliclona (Gellius) loe sp. nov. is an early colonizer during pioneering stages of ecological succession (Sup. Fig. S 3 in Vicente et al., 2022a). Presence of embryos within the holotype indicates viviparous reproduction.</p><p>Distribution (Fig. 1). Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāne‘ohe Bay and Keʻehi harbor on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.</p><p>Etymology. The given name honors the moʻolelo (historical accounts from native Hawaiians) of how Moku O Loʻe was named. Lo‘e was the sister of three brothers who kept honesty within the family. We use the feminine  loe following the feminine gender of  Haliclona and Article 31.2 of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (http://www.iczn.org/, accessed on October 16, 2023).</p><p>Taxonomic remarks. Variability of the skeleton morphology in  Haliclona (Gellius) loe between unispicular to paucispicular or from halichondroid, isodictyal, to anisotropic at the sponge surface matches the definitions for either, H. ( Gellius), H. ( Halichoclona) or H. (Soestella) (de Weerdt, 2002). All replicates of  H. (Gellius) loe lack a specialized ectosome as well as the presence of subectosomal or choanosomal spaces which are characteristic of H. ( Halichoclona). Likewise, paucispicular lines do not form circular meshes anywhere throughout the choanosome or ectosome, which is diagnostic of H. (Soestella). The closest fitting definition remaining considering all characters of the new species including the presence of sigmas as microscleres is that of H. ( Gellius).</p><p>The spicule composition of 80% of H. ( Gellius) spp. (61 species) consist of sigmas and oxeas.  Haliclona (Gellius) loe stands out from most of these species by the smaller length of sigmas (8.7–11.5 µm in length). The only species having sigma dimensions similar to  Haliclona (Gellius) loe sp. nov. are  Haliclona (Gellius) amboinensis (Lévi 1961) (9–17 µm in length),  Haliclona (Gellius) microsigma (Babic 1922) (8–10 µm in length) and  Haliclona (Gellius) patbergquistae van Soest et al. 2020 (11–14 µm in length) (Table S2). These species are set apart from H. ( Gellius) lo e by their larger sized oxeas ( H. (Gellius) microsigma (200–240 x 5–10 µm),  H. (Gellius) patbergquistae (305–343 x 12 μm),  H. (Gellius) amboinensis (175–230 x 7–14 μm)). Other matching H. ( Gellius) spp. possibilities possibilities with small sigmas are  Haliclona (Gellius) concreta Bispo et al., 2022 (5–8 µm in length),  Haliclona (Gellius) dubia (Babic, 1922) (12–16 µm in length),  Haliclona (Gellius) rava (Stephens 1912) (8 µm in length),  Haliclona (Gellius) regia (Brøndsted 1924) (10–18 µm in length),  Haliclona (Gellius) tenerrima (6–10 µm in length) Burton 1954. However, these small-sigma-bearing sponges are distinguishable from the new species in that they all have toxas in their spicule composition. Among sigma bearing  Haliclona spp. of unknown subgenera are  Haliclona aperta (Sara 1960) (34–43 µm in length) from the Mediterranean,  Haliclona libera (15 μm in length) and  Haliclona uwaensis (Hoshino 1981) (10–22 µm in length) from Japan, and  Haliclona sabulosa Bergquist &amp; Warne 1980 (34–43 µm in length) from New Zealand. All can be discarded as possible matches by the size of their sigmas which exceeds the length of sigmas of the new species.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFB0FC57FF22FBDA5D06F8B5	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFBCFC58FF22FF665EE7FE55.text	03EC8C6EFFBCFC58FF22FF665EE7FE55.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Reniera) Schmidt 1862	<div><p>Subgenus  Reniera</p><p>Definition.  Chalinidae with a choanosomal skeleton consisting of a delicate, regular, unispicular, isotropic reticulation. Ectosomal skeleton if present, also a tangential, unispicular, isotropic, very regular, and continuous reticulation. Spongin always present at the nodes of the reticulation, but never abundant. Oxeas frequently blunt pointed or strongylote. Microscleres, if present, toxas and sigmas. Sponges commonly soft and fragile (de Weerdt 2002).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFBCFC58FF22FF665EE7FE55	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFBCFC5BFF22FD9A5EE7F92D.text	03EC8C6EFFBCFC5BFF22FD9A5EE7F92D.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Reniera) kahoe Vicente & Rutkowski & Lavrov & Martineau & Timmers & Toonen 2025	<div><p>Haliclona (Reniera) kahoe sp. nov.</p><p>LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 10EF032A-6090-464A-BC51-12059BCD97A5</p><p>(Fig. 4–5, Table 2)</p><p>Haliclona sp. JV 1; Vicente et al., 2022b, Vicente et a l., 2022a: Sup. Fig. S7</p><p>Holotype and type locality. BPBM C1539 -ARMS on <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">reef at Moku o Loʻe</a> (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">Coconut Island</a>), Pūpūkea, Kāne‘ohe Bay, Oʻahu (21.4335 °N, - 157.7863 °W); 0.3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2018-03-16  .  Paratypes. BPBM C1570,  BPBM C1540,   BPBM C1538 - ARMS on <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">reef at Moku o Loʻe</a> (Coconut Island), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, Oʻahu (21.4335 °N, - 157.7863 °W); 3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2017-11-21, 2018-03-16, 2018-06-11, respectively  .  BPBM C1553,  BPBM C1554,  BPBM C1552,  BPBM C1551, and   BPBM C1537 -ARMS in <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">mesocosms at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology</a> (HIMB), Moku o Loʻe (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Coconut Island</a>), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Oʻahu</a> (21.4334 °N, - 157.7868 °W); 0.3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2016-12-19, 2017-02-13, 2017-08-01, 2018-01-19, 2018-03-16, and 2018-06-11 respectively.  Additional vouchers with metadata can be found in Table S1.</p><p>Diagnosis. A soft, thin to thickly encrusting  Haliclona (Reniera) displaying a variety of irregular, and regular cushion shaped growth morphologies with apical oscula that are mainly light brown in color. The skeleton is exclusively composed of oxeas (154–197 x 1– 9 µm) arranged mainly in unispicular, isotropic, isodictyal, reticulation throughout the choanosome and ectosome.</p><p>Description (Fig. 4): Thin to thickly encrusting with erect regular to irregular oscular lobes. Individuals spread laterally measuring 1–4 cm in length, width of ≤ 1 cm and a thickness up to 0.5 cm. Oscula measure 1–3 mm in diameter and may rise 0.5 cm in height. Some colonies have multiple oscular lobes stemming from one base. The base is thinly encrusting, spreading laterally. Base’s surface is smooth, even, and occasionally irregular with few microscopic pores. In some specimens multiple, long, thin anastomosing branches project outward from the base. Oscula may spread laterally across branches. Superficial canals are slightly pronounced along the base of some individuals but are rarely present. Consistency is soft, delicate, compressible, and easily torn. Color in live specimens ranges from light brown, light purple to greyish yellow. A gradient from dull yellow to purple can be observed concurrently on the same individual.</p><p>Skeleton (Fig. 5a–h): Ectosome is ill defined in some specimens but when present, is composed of an isotropic unispicular, isodictyal reticulation of oxeas. Rectangular (80–120 µm in diameter) or quadrangular meshes (up to 150 µm in diameter) are composed of 5–10 oxeas which meet at the nodes with very little spongin. The lack of spongin gives the ectosome a translucent appearance. Choanosome in some specimens is less organized and consists of an isotropic to subisotropic reticulation forming meshes similar in size and shape to those found in the ectosome. Few discernable unispicular ascending primary tracts (spaced 100–150 µm apart) are visible in some individuals but are not connected by a regular frequency of secondary tracts (Fig. 5b). Spongin and small auxiliary oxeas is scattered sporadically throughout the choanosome.</p><p>Spicules (Fig. 5 i-j); Table 2): Oxeas are straight or slightly curved with acerate tips measuring 154–162–197 x 1–4.5– 9 μm (Fig. 5 i-j) Oxeas with both round and acerate ends are rare.</p><p>Taxonomic remarks. The delicate unispicular, isotropic to subisotropic reticulation of oxeas in both the choanosome and ectosome of  Haliclona (Reniera) kahoe agrees with both H. ( Reniera) (Schmidt, 1862) and H. ( Halichoclona) de Weerdt, 2002. Yet, the soft consistency, compressibility, and the lack of subectosomal or choanosomal spaces is more similar to those of H. ( Reniera) than of H. ( Halichoclona). The skeleton lacks a ladder-like morphology with primary lines connected irregularly (characteristic of H. (Rhizoniera) Griessinger 1971 or regularly (characteristic of H. ( Haliclona) de Weerdt, 2002) by unispicular secondary lines. Skeleton reticulation is also not subhalichondroid with multispicular lines as defined for H. ( Gellius) Gray 1867 nor does it tend to form rounded meshes in the ectosome by paucispicular lines as defined for H. (Soestella) de Weerdt, 2002. Although, H. ( Reniera) is the most appropriate classification for this species, the ectosomal skeleton when present is not “very regular” nor does the presence of spongin conform to its definition. Spongin is not only present at the nodes of spicules that build the skeletal framework but is also abundant throughout the choanosome.</p><p>There are 23  Haliclona (unknown subgenera) spp., two  Haliclona (Haliclona) spp., three  Haliclona (Reniera) spp. and one  Haliclona (Rhizoniera) spp. sharing a thin to thick, irregularly encrusting morphology, similar color patterns and spicule composition to  H. (Reniera) kahoe (Table S2). However, these species can be discarded as possible matches by 1. the presence of smaller oxeas (as in  H. carteri Burton 1954 (40 x 8 μm),  H. hydroida Tanita &amp; Hoshino 1989 (120 –145 x 7–14 µm),  H. innominata (Kirkpatrick 1900) (108 x 2.5 µm),  H. isodictyalis Bergquist 1961 (130 x 7 μm),  H. macropora (Thiele 1905) (118–125 × 4–5.2–8 μm),  H. minima (Lendenfeld 1887) (67 x 3 µm),  H. nitens Desqueyroux-Faúndez 1990 (100–118 × 1.6–4 μm),  H. offerospicula Hoshino 1981 (75–82–90 x 2–2.8–3 μm),  H. rectangularis (Ridley &amp; Dendy 1886) (88 x 9 μm),  H. reversa (Kirk 1911) (100 x 5 μm),  H. tenuis Hoshino, 1981 (83–100 x 5–8 μm),  H. translucida Desqueyroux-Faúndez, 1990 (94–116 x 6–7 μm),  H. venustina (Bergquist, 1961) (100 x 4 μm),  H. (Haliclona) tonggumiensis Kang et al., 2013 (60–110 x 1– 5 μm),  H. (Reniera) cinerea (Grant 1826) (76–113 x 5–10 μm),  H. (Reniera) clathrata (Dendy 1895) (107 x 6 μm), H. (Rhizoniera) e namela de Laubenfels 1930) 2. larger oxeas (as in  H. densaspicula Hoshino, 1981 (187–250 x 3–15 μm),  H. maxima Bergquist &amp; Warne, 1980 (274–417 μm),  H. (Haliclona) ieoensis Kim et al. 2017 (160–230 × 2.5–12.5 μm), 3. Firm or hard consistency (as in  H. glabra Bergquist, 1961,  H. rapanui (Desqueyroux-Faúndez, 1990),  H. sataensis Hoshino, 1981) and 4. Presence of multispicular tracts throughout the skeleton (as in  H. madagascarensis Vacelet et al. 1976, and  H. tenacior Bergquist, 1961) Other clearly distinguishable characters setting  H. (Reniera) kahoe apart from the remaining species are the absence of a conulose surface (characteristic of  Haliclona lentus Hoshino, 1981), rough oxeas with an uneven surface (diagnostic of  Haliclona scabritia Tanita &amp; Hoshino, 1989 and the absence of a “very regular” continuous ectosome (as observed in  Haliclona (Reniera) venusta (Bowerbank 1875) . Of the H. ( Halichoclona) spp.,  H. (Halichoclona) mokuoloea (de Laubenfels, 1950) from Kāneʻohe Bay shares similar consistency and an isodictyal reticulation of oxeas within the skeletal framework. Nevertheless,  H. (Halichoclona) mokuoloea is set apart by the yellow, reddish color, smaller oxeas (120–135 x 6 μm) and massive growth morphology.</p><p>Habitat and ecology. All specimens were common in confined cryptic environments of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS). Specimens were collected from ARMS deployed on the patch reef slope adjacent to Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), and ARMS inside mesocosms supplied with unfiltered flow through seawater at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) in Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island). Time series observations show quick growth and abundance of  Haliclona (Reniera) kahoe throughout pioneering and climax stages of succession (Sup. Fig. S3, Sup. Fig. S 7 in Vicente et al., 2022a).</p><p>Distribution. Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāneʻohe Bay on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.</p><p>Etymology. The given name is based on Lo‘e’s faithful brother Kahoe, who was a farmer that regularly provided crops he had grown to his brother Pahu. We use the feminine  kahoe following the feminine gender of  Haliclona and Article 31.2 of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (http://www.iczn.org/, accessed on October 16, 2023).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFBCFC5BFF22FD9A5EE7F92D	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFBFFC5BFF22F9425A22F84E.text	03EC8C6EFFBFFC5BFF22F9425A22F84E.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Rhizoniera) Griessenger 1971	<div><p>Subgenus  (Rhizoniera) Griessenger, 1971</p><p>Definition.  Chalinidae with an anisotropic, ladder-like choanosomal skeleton consisting of uni- to multispicular primary lines, connected by irregular unispicular secondary lines. Ectosomal skeleton usually absent; if present, consisting only of some vaguely strewn tangentially oriented oxeas. Spongin moderate to absent. Megascleres usually slender oxeas with acerated points. No microscleres (Muricy et al. 2015).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFBFFC5BFF22F9425A22F84E	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFB8FC5EFF22FF2E5C60FE71.text	03EC8C6EFFB8FC5EFF22FF2E5C60FE71.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Rhizoniera) pahua Vicente & Rutkowski & Lavrov & Martineau & Timmers & Toonen 2025	<div><p>Haliclona (Rhizoniera) pahua sp. nov.</p><p>LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 9FFF3BF0-9722-44AA-9B71-2656F5198E68</p><p>(Fig. 6, Table 3)</p><p>Haplosclerida sp. JV8; Vicente et al. 2022a, 2022b</p><p>Holotype. BPBM C1518 -ARMS in <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">mesocosms at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology</a> (HIMB), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Moku o Loʻe</a> (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Coconut Island</a>), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Oʻahu</a> (21.4334 °N, - 157.7868 °W); 0.3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2017-08- 01  .  Paratypes. BPBM C1517,   BPBM C1531, ARMS in <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">mesocosms at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology</a> (HIMB), Moku o Loʻe (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Coconut Island</a>), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7868&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4334" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7868/lat 21.4334)">Oʻahu</a> (21.4334 °N, - 157.7868 °W); 3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2017-09-27 and 2018-03-16 respectively  .</p><p>Diagnosis. A soft, compressible solitary mound shaped  Haliclona (Rhizoniera) with apical oscula, light brown in color, that has a skeleton exclusively composed of oxeas (75–151 x 3–5 µm) arranged in unispicular, anisotropic, ascending ladder-like reticulation and the absence of an ectosome.</p><p>Description (Fig. 6a–c). Thickly encrusting solitary, circular, mounds less than 1 cm in height and diameter. Surface is smooth but slightly hispid and somewhat punctate. Oscula are circular, 0.5–1 mm wide, and are flush with the surface. There is one osculum per sponge individual. Color of live specimens varies from light to darker shades of brown. Same color pattern is observed in the interior and exterior of the sponge. Consistency is compressible with delicate elasticity. Embryos measuring 150–165 µm in diameter were spotted deep in the choanosome of BPBM C1518 (Fig 6d).</p><p>Skeleton (Fig. 6d–f): Ectosome is not specialized. Choanosome is unispicular, mainly anisotropic where primary lines are connected irregularly by secondary lines (120–130 µm in length). There is some disorganization in areas of the choanosome where the skeleton is subisotropic with isodictyal reticulation. Continuous connection of primary and secondary lines results in an ascending ladder like pattern, of triangular (80–100 µm) or polygonal (140–160 µm) meshes (µm) visible from deep in the choanosome. Secondary lines are absent at the sponge surface resulting in a hispid projection of a single, or a bundle of up to three oxeas. Choanosomal spaces (220–370 µm in diameter) are present but rare. Scarce amounts of spongin is present throughout the choanosome and at the nodes. Small auxiliary oxeas are abundant.</p><p>Spicules (Fig. 6g; Table 3): Oxeas straight and curved at the center with hastate tips 75–129–151 x 3–4.1–5 µm.</p><p>Habitat and ecology. Specimens were collected from ARMS inside mesocosms supplied with unfiltered flow through seawater at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) in Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island). During the same period specimens were absent from ARMS on a reef surrounded by a climax sponge community throughout a 2-year monitoring period (Sup. Fig. S 3 in Vicente et al., 2022a). Presence of embryos supports viviparous reproduction in this species.</p><p>Taxonomic remarks. The unispicular, anisotropic, choanosomal skeleton of the new species conforms to some of the characters defined for H. ( Reniera), H. ( Haliclona) and H. (Rhizoniera). Nevertheless, the connection of primary and secondary lines in the new species is irregular, discarding H. ( Haliclona) as an ideal match, since species in this subgenus have a very regular, ladder like reticulation. Species belonging to H. ( Reniera) have a more isotropic organization of oxeas rather than anisotropic and reticulation is also very regular. Therefore, all characters of the new species are preferably supported by the definition of H. (Rhizoniera) which includes species with an anisotropic, ladder-like choanosomal organization of oxeas, with primary lines connected irregularly by secondary lines and the usual absence of the ectosome.</p><p>There are currently no H. (Rhizoniera) spp. reported for the Northern or Central Pacific but the thick encrusting, morphology of the new species with oxeas measuring 75–151 x 3–5 µm match other congenerics. These include  H. (Rhizoniera) australis (Lendenfeld 1888) from Eastern Australia,  H. (Rhizoniera) curacaoensis (van Soest 1980) from the Caribbean, H. (Rhiz.) enamela de Laubenfels, 1930 from the Eastern Pacific,  H. (Rhizoniera) fugidia Muricy et al., 2015 from Brazil,  H. (Rhizoniera) manglarensi and  H. (Rhizoniera) zanabriai (Bispo et al., 2022) from Peru, and  H. (Rhizoniera) viscosa (Topsent 1888) from the Northeast Atlantic (Table S2). Conversely, none of these species grow in the shape of a solitary mound with a single apical oscula, making this a diagnostic character for the new species.</p><p>Within unknown subgenera of  Haliclona there are ~ 30 species worldwide which share oxea lengths between 75–151 μm or an average length of oxeas between 125–130 µm. Most of these species can be discarded as possible matches, based on their massive, branching, growth forms or mismatching color and the presence of multispiculated fibers. Among species sharing similar spicule lengths, growth morphology and color of unknown subgenera of  Haliclona spp. are  H. isodictyalis Bergquist, 1961 and  H. sasajimensis Hoshino, 1981 . The new species still differs from these in the presence of the anisotropic ladder like arrangement of the choanosome which is absent in both species.</p><p>Distribution (Fig. 2). Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāne‘ohe Bay on the island of Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi.</p><p>Etymology. The given name is based on Lo‘e and Kahoe’s brother Pahu a selfish fisherman who was reluctant to share his catch even though his brother provided him with crops. We use the feminine  pahua following the feminine gender of  Haliclona and Article 31.2 of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (http://www. iczn.org/, accessed on October 16, 2023).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFB8FC5EFF22FF2E5C60FE71	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFBAFC41FF22FC215A3EF960.text	03EC8C6EFFBAFC41FF22FC215A3EF960.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea (Hechtel 1965)	<div><p>Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea (Hechtel 1965)</p><p>(Table 4; Fig. 7–8)</p><p>Synonyms and References</p><p>Sigmadocia caerulea — Hechtel, 1965: 30, Fig 5, plate III; Zea, 1987: 69, Fig 16.</p><p>Sigmadocia coerulea (misspelling)- Van Soest, 1980: 21, Fig 7, Plate II Fig 4</p><p>Haliclona caerulea — Cruz-Barraza &amp; Carballo, 2008: 750, Figs 6, 7D; Hajdu, E., Peixinho, S. &amp; Fernandez, 2011: 180; (Bispo et al. 2016): 5, Table 2 Pérez et al., 2017: Fig 6</p><p>Haliclona (Soestella) caerulea, de Weerdt, 2000: 29, Figs 3F, 16A-E; Bispo, 2019: 104, Fig 35–37; Pons et al., 2017: 42, Fig 20; Vicente et al., 2020: 111, Fig 1; Vicente et al., 2022b Table S4–S 5; Ugalde et al., 2021: 37, Fig 29</p><p>Haplosclerida sp. 11 -Vicente et al; 2022b: Table S4–S 5; Vicente et al., 2022a: Suppl. Table S1–2</p><p>Haplosclerida sp. 12 -Vicente et al; 2022b: Fig 4, Table S4–S 5; Vicente et al., 2022a: Suppl. Table S1–2</p><p>Additional synonyms are listed in de Weerdt, 2000</p><p>Type locality. Rasta’s wreck, Jamaica (17°56′30″N, 76°50′0″W).</p><p>Material examined. BPBM C1519 -Mammal pens, Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu, (21.43243 °N, - 157.79078 °W); 0.5 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2017-05-29. BPBM C1541, BPBM C1543, BPBM C1544, BPBM C1542 ARMS on reef at Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāne‘ohe Bay, Oʻahu (21.4335 °N, - 157.7863 °W); 3 m, coll. Jan Vicente on 2018-03-16, 2018-06-11, 2018-06-11, 2018-06-11, 2018-06-11 respectively. BPBM C1638 — ARMS in mesocosms at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), Moku o Loʻe (Coconut Island), Kāneʻohe Bay, Oʻahu (21.4334 °N, - 157.7868 °W); 0.3 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2020 -08-13. BPBM C1520—Keʻehi harbor, Oʻahu (21.3208 °N, - 157.894 °W); 2 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2018-5-15. BPBM C1545—Sunken City, Kāne‘ohe Bay, Oʻahu, (21.4357 °N, - 157.7923 °W); 2 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2017-5-25. Jan Vicente, 2018-03-16.</p><p>Description (Fig. 7). Thickly encrusting, cushion shaped mounds. Consistency may vary from fragile, compressible, firm to hard and difficult to cut when associated with the coralline macroalgae  Jania adhaerens . Surface is punctate and can vary from smooth to very rough in specimens associated with  J. adhaerens . Oscula were not visible in recruits growing on ARMS but were visible as fused tubular projections in larger individuals measuring 2 to 8 mm in diameter and up to 1 cm in height. Color varies from different shades of light blue, turquoise, light purple (in specimens associated with  J. adhaerens), white or cream. White speckled blotchy pattern is visible on surface of some individuals. Embryos measuring 350–400 µm with developing oxeas were spotted deep in the choanosome of BPBM-C1545 (Fig. 7b).</p><p>Skeleton (Fig. 8a–h). Ectosome in recruits growing on ARMS and associated specimen with  J. adhaerens show unispicular, isodictyal, reticulation.In larger individuals the ectosome consists of dense, multispicular circular meshes (400–600 µm). The choanosome is disorganized in small recruits but can also form unispicular to paucispicular reticulation of circular meshes (100–150 µm) in larger individuals. Subectosomal and choanosomal spaces (200– 750 µm) are present in larger individuals. Sponging was scarcely present throughout the choanosome.</p><p>Spicules (Fig. 8i–j; Table 4). Oxeas are straight and slightly bent mostly with hastate tips 93.5–175.5–210 x 1.2–6.5–11.5 µm (Fig. 8i). Sigmas are C-shaped, very abundant throughout the sponge tissue in a single size category 16.9–19.3–23.1 x 0.7–1.3–2 µm (Fig. 8j).</p><p>* Specimen from Northeastern Brazil corresponding to 28S sequence (acc. No. MZ366950) (Bispo et al., 2019).</p><p>Habitat and Ecology. All specimens were collected on artificial structures including ARMS, pilings, and derelict nets. Long term monitoring of the cryptic sponge community using ARMS showed appearance of  H. (Soestella) caerulea only on reef ARMS after 18 months (Sup. Fig. S 3 in Vicente et al., 2022a), suggesting that this species is present during climax stages of ecological succession. A predation study using native Hawaiian Tiger cowries ( Cypraea tigris) revealed  H. (Soestella) caerulea to be a preferred prey item which lacks chemical defenses against fish or mollusks (Vicente et al., 2020). Embryos present in specimen BPBM-C1545 associated with  J. adhaerens supports viviparous reproduction in this species.</p><p>Distribution. North and Southern Gulf of Mexico (Mexico) (Rützler, K.; van Soest, R. W. M.; Piantoni 2009; Ugalde et al. 2021), Caribbean (Cuba, Jamaica (Hechtel, 1965), Puerto Rico (Van Soest, 1980), Martinique (de Weerdt, 2000), Curaçao (Van Soest, 1980), Venezuela (Díaz, H.; Bevilacqua, M.; Bone 1985), Colombia (David-Colón, J.D.; Marin-Casas 2020), Panama, Mexico), Atlantic (Eastern Brazil) (Hajdu et al., 2011), Eastern Indo-Pacific (Hawaiʻi) Pons et al., 2017; Knapp et al., 2015; Eldredge et al., 2001, Central Pacific (Palmyra) (Knapp et al. 2011)</p><p>Taxonomic remarks. Introduced in the last 20 years, this species has now been reported in lagoonal habitats of the main and Northwestern Hawaiian Islands (Eldredge et al., 2001). Previous descriptions of  H. (Soestella) caerulea from Moku o Loʻe were made from sponges fouling on artificial floating docks (Pons et al., 2017) and from sponges growing on dead coral. Here the sponge is observed as a common species of the sponge cryptofauna inside ARMS and a potential invasive within the coral reef cryptobiota of Kāneʻohe Bay. Dimensions of oxeas and sigmas in Hawaiian specimens fit the size categories of the holotype and paratypes from the Caribbean (oxeas: 117–200 x 3–5 µm/sigmas: 13–28 µm) (Hechtel, 1965). These are also similar to specimens previously collected in Hawaiʻi (oxeas:147–220 x 3.7–10 µm/sigmas:15–25 µm) (Pons et al., 2017). Morphological plasticity between cryptobenthic individuals, and those found on more exposed habitats includes variations in external color (white, blue, light brown and pink) and consistency (hard, soft, brittle) which were similarly observed by Bispo et al., (2019) and in individuals associated with  J. adhaerens by Enríquez et al., (2009). Differences were also observed in the skeleton structure between small recruits having a confused choanosome and a unispicular ectosome with isodictyal reticulation, and larger individuals having paucispicular circular meshes.</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFBAFC41FF22FC215A3EF960	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
03EC8C6EFFA6FC45FF22FF2E5A1CFAFD.text	03EC8C6EFFA6FC45FF22FF2E5A1CFAFD.taxon	http://purl.org/dc/dcmitype/Text	http://rs.tdwg.org/ontology/voc/SPMInfoItems#GeneralDescription	text/html	en	Gelliodes conulosa Vicente & Rutkowski & Lavrov & Martineau & Timmers & Toonen 2025	<div><p>Gelliodes conulosa sp. nov.</p><p>LSIDurn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 5E90EDDF-F3BF-4F98-8334-F4ADCD17EF1E</p><p>Gelliodes wilsoni — Pons et al., 2017: 46, Fig 22; Vicente et al., 2020: 111, Fig 1; Vicente et al; 2022b: Fig 4, Table S4-S 5; Vicente et al., 2022a: Suppl. Table S1-2</p><p>Comparative material</p><p>Gellius varius var. fibrosus —Wilson, 1925: 388, Fig 3, Plate 40</p><p>Gelliodes fibrosa — de Laubenfels, 1935:329, Fig 2, Plate 1; see additional synonyms in Carballo et al. (2013).</p><p>Gelliodes wilsoni Carballo, Aguilar-Camacho, Knapp &amp; Bell, 2013</p><p>For additional species see Table S3</p><p>Holotype and type locatlity. BPBM C1510 -Mammal pens, Moku o Loʻe (<a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.79079&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.43243" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.79079/lat 21.43243)">Coconut Island</a>), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.79079&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.43243" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.79079/lat 21.43243)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.79079&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.43243" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.79079/lat 21.43243)">Oʻahu</a>, (21.43243 °N, - 157.79078 °W); 0.5 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2016-11-18.</p><p>Paratypes. BPBM C1636 - <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7719&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4182" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7719/lat 21.4182)">Yacht club</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7719&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4182" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7719/lat 21.4182)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7719&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4182" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7719/lat 21.4182)">Oʻahu</a>, (21.4182°N, - 157.7719 °W); 2 m, coll. Jan Vicente, 2020-09-18.  BPBM C1637, BPBM C1512, BPBM C1513,  BPBM C1514 (p)—ARMS on <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">reef at Moku o Loʻe</a> (Coconut Island), <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">Kāne‘ohe Bay</a>, <a href="https://tb.plazi.org/GgServer/search?materialsCitation.longitude=-157.7863&amp;materialsCitation.latitude=21.4335" title="Search Plazi for locations around (long -157.7863/lat 21.4335)">Oʻahu</a> (21.4335 °N, - 157.7863 °W); 0.3 m, coll. Jan Vicente on 2016-12-19, 2017- 06-07, 2017-08-01, and 2018-01-19 respectively  . Additional vouchers with metadata can be found in Table S1.</p><p>Diagnosis. A tough, elastic, compressible irregular mound shaped  Gelliodes with a conulose surface, light to dark bluish grey to almost black color provided by pigmented cells, that has a skeleton consisting of an irregular network of fibers forming meshes (230–780 µm) that run paratangentially through the ectosome or rise from the choanosome pushing the ectosome upwards, spicules consist of oxeas (124–152–186 x 2.5–5.3–8.1 µm) embedded within fibers or that are auxiliar and an abundance of randomly distributed sigmas (10–14.2–22 x 0.5–1.0–1.7µm).</p><p>Description (Fig. 9). Thickly encrusting to irregular massive mounds (10 x 5 x 2 cm). Consistency is compressible, tough, elastic, and difficult to tear. Surface is conulose (horny), from projecting fibers underlying the sponge surface. Tangential surface fibers can be seen in small recruits growing on ARMS. Distance between the points of superficial cones varies between 1.5–3 mm. Superficial cones are between 1–2.3 mm long. Oscula are abundant, slightly elevated but also flush along the sponge surface measuring 0.1–0.5 cm in diameter and spread unevenly. A thin dermal membrane surrounds oscular openings. Exterior color of live and preserved specimens in ethanol varies from light to dark bluish grey to almost black from pigmented cells on the sponge surface. Color of the choanosomal tissue is usually lighter in color than the sponge surface. Exudes light yellow pigments in ethanol but the color of the specimen remains the same as in situ.</p><p>Skeleton (Figure 10a–e). In some specimens, the ectosome is distinguished from the choanosome by the appearance of a dark layer of pigmented cells (7–13 µm in diameter) that are densely packed within the first 300 µm of the sponge surface across the choanosome. Abundance of pigmented cells dissipates deep throughout the choanosome where they are less abundant. The ectosome is composed of an irregular organization of fibers (90–125 µm in diameter) which run tangentially through the sponge surface. Circular to elliptical meshes (230–780 µm) are also present throughout the ectosome. The choanosome is similar in composition to the ectosome and is also composed of an irregular arrangement of multispiculated fibers (28–120 µm in diameter) with auxiliary oxeas and sigmas surrounding the choanosomal meshes. Fibers pushing the sponge surface outward can be seen forming cones (250 µm in height and 100 µm thick). Echinating paucispicular (2–3 oxeas) tracts are also observed along the sponge surface. Circular and elliptical subectosomal (300–400 µm in diameter) and choanosomal spaces (200–650 µm in diameter) are abundant through the sponge body.</p><p>Spicules (Fig10f–g; Table 5). Oxeas are straight and slightly bent mostly with hastate tips 124–152–186 x 2.5–5.3–8.1 μm (Fig. 10f) can be auxiliary or embedded within fibers. Sigmas are C-shaped, with an abundant but random distribution throughout the sponge tissue in a single size category 10–14.2–22 x 0.5–1.0–1.7μm (Fig. 10g).</p><p>Habitat and Ecology. Specimens were collected on derelict nets, coral rubble, and ARMS. Successional observations of  G. wilsoni shows the appearance of pioneering recruits exclusively on reef ARMS only after four months (Sup. Fig. S 3 in Vicente et al., 2022a). Predation studies with the gastropod  Cypraea tigris revealed  G. wilsoni to be a preferred species that lacks chemical defenses against spongivorous fish and mollusks (Vicente et al., 2020).</p><p>Taxonomic remarks. The original description for Hawaiian specimens were erected as  Gelliodes wilsoni by Carballo et al., (2013) and argued to be a conspecific with  Gellius varius fibrosus Wilson (1925), which was historically transferred to  Gelliodes fibrosa by de Laubenfels (1935).  Gelliodes fibrosa was already used as a name by Dendy (1905) to describe a different species. Therefore,  G. wilsoni was proposed by Carballo and colleagues (2013) to refer to the material originally described by Wilson (1925) and de Laubenfels (1935) from the Philippines which dissolved the homonym  G. fibrosa for both heterospecifics. Carballo and colleagues (2013) determined that  G. wilsoni from Mexico, Hawaiʻi and Palmyra were conspecific with  G. varius fibrosus Wilson (1925), and  G. fibrosa de Laubenfels (1935) based on similar spicule composition and fiber dimensions. However, comparisons of in situ images between  G. wilsoni by Carballo et al., (2013) with images (in spirit) of the type of  G. varius fibrosus Wilson (1925) (de Voogd et al., 2023) revealed conspicuous morphological disparities to confirm heterospecificity. For example, the type material has oxea measurements of 220 x 14 µm which exceed the size limits of Hawaiian specimens. The morphology of the type also has an erect, cylindrical, branching, anastomising morphology with a rather even surface; oscula are numerous, evenly distributed and flush with the surface (Table S3). In contrast the specimens in Carballo et al., (2013) and this study consist of thickly encrusting mounds, with a conulose surface, and elevated oscula. The material by de Laubenfels (1935) more closely resemble the description of specimens collected by Carballo et al. (2013) and those in this study with oxeas measuring 150–190 x 4–6 and fibers 60–160 μm in diameter. The exterior blue grey color and lighter toned grey color of the interior of de Laubenfels’ Puerto Galera specimen preserved in alcohol also match the Hawaiian specimens. However, de Laubenfels also adds the description of a cavernous endosome, tangential oxeas, and no mention of a conulose surface from echinating fibers. The Hawaiian paratypes do not have tangentially oriented oxeas but rather echinating fibers which give them a conspicuous conulose appearance in all Hawaiian paratypes. Compared to the other 32  Gelliodes spp. there are six species with similar sizes of oxeas and sigmas as  G. conulosa (Table S3). These can be excluded as conspecifics by differences in color and texture. For example,  Gelliodes callista De Laubenfels 1954 is pinkish orange.  Gelliodes obtusa Hentschel, 1912 is grey with brownish tinges.  Gelliodes petrosioides Dendy, 1905 is pale yellowish grey and has a stony composition.  Gelliodes porosa Thiele, 1903 is brown, smooth and cylindrical.  Gelliodes spinosella Thiele, 1899 is a soft bodied sponge with lighter colored pigments. Other species baring sigmas and oxeas without reported measurements include  Gelliodes truncata (Kieschnick 1896),  Gelliodes licheniformis (Lamarck 1814), and  Gelliodes fibrosa (Dendy 1905) . However,  G. truncata is a soft brown branching sponge,  G. licheniformis is described as a loosely smooth sponge from the Atlantic Ocean and  G. fibrosa is also described as a soft sponge; all of which do not match the description for  G. conulosa .</p><p>Dimensions of fibers in Hawaiian specimens described in this study fit those previously reported by Carballo and colleagues (2013) (70–145 µm). However, the diameter of circular meshes more closely resemble those reported by Pons et al., 2017 (600 µm) and are much wider than those reported by Carballo and colleagues (2013). Localization of pigmented cell within the sponge surface and presence of numerous auxiliary oxeas and sigmas in the present material is also added as diagnostic characters for this species.</p><p>Based on these novel findings we propose the new name  Gelliodes conulosa for the specimens described in this study and those previously analyzed by Pons et al. (2017). We also, propose that  Gelliodes wilsoni be kept as the name for the species described by Wilson, 1925.  Gelliodes conulosa is considered an introduced species in Hawaiʻi and is confined to lagoonal habitats throughout the main Hawaiian Islands (Eldredge et al., 2001). At the moment the origin of this species remains cryptogenic.</p><p>Distribution. Eastern Indo-Pacific (Hawaiʻi) (Pons et al., 2017; Eldredge et al., 2001).</p><p>Etymology. The given name is based on the distinct conulose surface of the sponge. We use the feminine  conulosa following the feminine gender of  Gelliodes and Article 31.2 of the International Code for Zoological Nomenclature (http://www.iczn.org/, accessed on October 16, 2023).</p></div>	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EC8C6EFFA6FC45FF22FF2E5A1CFAFD	Public Domain	No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.		MagnoliaPress via Plazi	Vicente, Jan;Rutkowski, Emily;Lavrov, Dennis V.;Martineau, Gabrielle;Timmers, Molly;Toonen, Robert J.	Vicente, Jan, Rutkowski, Emily, Lavrov, Dennis V., Martineau, Gabrielle, Timmers, Molly, Toonen, Robert J. (2025): Integrative taxonomy of introduced Haplosclerida and four new species from Hawaiʻi. Zootaxa 5566 (2): 243-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2, URL: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.2
