Crella (Grayella) beglingerae, Van, Rob W. M., 2009

Van, Rob W. M., 2009, New sciophilous sponges from the Caribbean (Porifera: Demospongiae), Zootaxa 2107, pp. 1-40 : 30-31

Crella (Grayella) beglingerae n. sp.

( Figs 12 A–C)

Holotype. ZMA Por. 21073, Netherlands Antilles, Bonaire, Red Slave, 12.034°N - 68.259°W, under rubble, 5 m, 01-08-1987, coll. R. Pennartz, #R10810R.

Paratypes. ZMA Por. 21075, Bonaire, Karpata, 12.222°N - 68.351°W, under rubble, 5 m, 17-07-1987, coll. G.J. Roebers, # K1G.16-03, 155; ZMA Por. 21074, Bonaire, Red Slave, 12.034°N - 68.259°W, under rubble, 5 m, 1987, coll. G.J. Roebers, # G03.06; ZMA Por. 0 5404, Curaçao, Buoy 1, 12.125°N - 68.976°W, under rubble, 14 m, 25-V-1984, coll. J.H. Stock & J.J. Vermeulen.

Additonal material (not belonging to the type series). ZMA Por. 16879, Curaçao, near Carmabi, 12.124°N - 68.975°W, reef caves, 10-2001, coll. S. Scheffers #17; Bonaire, Punt Vierkant, 12.116°N - 68.295°W, under rubble, 5 m, 1987, G.J. Roebers & R. Pennartz; Curaçao, Anna Baai, 12.108°N - 68.946°W, under rubble, 5 m, coll. E. Meesters & P. Willemsen #A24-5.

Description. Thinly encrusting, under coral rubble, surrounding Homotrema specimens; smooth surface, easy to peel off; soft consistency. Size of holotype approx. 1 x 1.5 x 0.1 cm. Transparent pale yellow color.

Skeleton. Surface provided with moderately dense complement of slightly raised areolae, each approx. 1.5 mm in diameter, spaced out approx. 1 mm. The sides of the areolae are supported by bundles of 3–5 tornotes at regular distances of approx. 30 µm. Surface between the areolae densely crowded by intercrossing acanthoxeas arranged in a single layer.

Spicules. Tornotes and acanthoxeas.

Tornotes ( Fig. 12 A–B) smooth, faintly polytylote ( Fig. 10 B), usually rounded but occasionally bluntly oxeote or abruptly pointed, equal ended, 201- 257.3 -294 x 2 - 3.1 -4 µm.

Acanthoxeas ( Fig. 12 C), thinly fusiform, approx. symmetrical, little variation in shape and size, enirely spined, straight, 66- 87.2 - 97 x 1.5- 2.3 -3 µm.

Ecology. Under coral stones and in caves. So far known only from shallow-water reefs (5–14 m) on Bonaire and Curaçao.

Etymology. Named for Elly Beglinger, manager of the Porifera collection of the Zoological Museum of the University of Amsterdam.

Remarks. The subgenus Grayella is so far represented in the Central West Atlantic by C. (G.) spinosa ( Hechtel, 1983 as Crelloxea ) from Brazil. This species has large fusiform oxeote tornotes (up to 400 x 24 µm) quite unlike the thin tornotes of the present new species. The ectosomal spicules are a mix of acanthoxeas and acanthostrongyles, longer and thicker than those of C. (G.) beglingerae n. sp. The new species resembles Red Sea C.(G.)cyathophora ( Carter, 1869) in spiculation, but this is an elaborate open reef species, unlike C. (G.) beglingerae n. sp.. Two further Crella species, both possessing chelae unlike our new species, are known from the Caribbean region, Crella (Crella) papillosa ( Schmidt, 1870 as Cribrella ) from Florida and Crella (Pytheas) chelifera van Soest, 1984 from Barbados, both from much deeper habitats.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Forcepia (Forcepia) fistulosa n. sp., SEM images of spicules (Holotype ZMA Por. 21070). A – B. Tylote and details of the apices; C. Normal-shaped arcuate isochelae; D. Various types of twisted chelae; E. Sigma; F. Forceps; G. photo of fragmented holotype.

FIGURE 12. Crella (Grayella) beglingerae n. sp., SEM images of spicules (Holotype ZMA Por. 21073). A – B. Polytylote strongylotornote and details of apices and middle part; C. Acanthoxea.