Heteromeyenia cristalina Batista, Volkmer-Ribeiro & Melão, 2007

Nicacio, Gilberto & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2015, Biodiversity of freshwater sponges (Porifera: Spongillina) from northeast Brazil: new species and notes on systematics, Zootaxa 3981 (2), pp. 220-240 : 232-233

Heteromeyenia cristalina Batista, Volkmer-Ribeiro & Melão, 2007

( Figure 9 )

Heteromeyenia insignis sensu Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago 1964: 252.

Heteromeyenia stepanowii sensu Volkmer-Ribeiro 1981: 88 , Volkmer-Ribeiro & Grosser 1981: 177, Tavares et al. 2003: 174. For other synonyms see Muricy et al. (2011).

Material studied. UFPEPOR854, coll. G. Nicacio, 12.iii.2009, UFPEPOR855, coll. G. Nicacio, 06.viii.2009, UFPEPOR897, coll. G. Nicacio, 12.viii.2009, UFPEPOR898, coll. G. Nicacio, 02.ix.2009, UFPEPOR899, coll. G. Nicacio, 25.ix.2009, UFPEPOR933, coll. U. Pinheiro, 23.x.2009, UFPEPOR941, coll. U. Pinheiro, 11.xii.2009, UFPEPOR1089, coll. G. Nicacio, 01.iv.2010, Riacho do Prata Stream, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, 8°1'9.40"S 34°56'39.93"W.

General morphology. Encrusting sponge, fleshy, globular shaped ranging 3–10cm in diameter. Consistency of live sponge moderately soft, surface hispid. Caramel colour ( Fig. 9 a). Megascleres straight to slightly curved oxeas (276– 456/6–15µm), sparsely microspined ( Fig. 9 b). Microscleres sharply pointed oxeas (63–102/3–4µm), from curved to straight entirely spined with microspines ( Fig. 9 c). Gemmuloscleres birotules (51–87µm/4–6µm), bearing tapered spines on shaft, cut rotules (12–21µm) microspined ( Fig. 9 d). Gemmules are hemispherical averaging 540µm, abundant often at basal portion and scattered in the sponge body. Gemmular theca with welldeveloped pneumatic layer of spongin chambers and gemmuloscleres radially embedded ( Fig. 9 e,f).

Distribution and ecological notes. Brazil: ( Muricy et al. 2011); Argentina ( Bonetto & Ezcurra 1964, Ezcurra de Drago 1993). Specimens were found in ponds on artificial substrate in standing waters with Chironomidae larvae ( Diptera ) as symbionts. This species is widespread in all Brazilian regions.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Heteromeyenia cristalina: (a) UFPEPOR 941 specimen in situ; (b) megasclere; (c) microsclere; (d) gemmuloscleres; (e-f) gemmules. Scale bars: a— 2 cm, b— 50 µm, c, d— 30 µm, e, f— 100 µm.