Clathria (Microciona) calla

Gómez, Patricia, 2014, The genus Clathria from the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Caribbean, with redescription and resurrection of Clathria carteri (Poecilosclerida: Microcionidae), Zootaxa 3790 (1), pp. 51-85 : 63-66

Clathria (Microciona) calla (de Laubenfels, 1934)

( Fig. 9–10 , Tab. 3 )

Axociella calla de Laubenfels, 1934:16.

Clathria (Microciona) calla sensu van Soest 1984:100, Zea 1987:170, Hooper 1996:220, Gómez 2007:59. Microciona calla sensu Pulitzer-Finali 1986:150 .

Non Microciona rarispinosa Hechtel, 1965:42 (= Clathria (Microciona) rarispinosa ). Non Tenaciella obliqua sensu Alcolado (1976) and van Soest (1984).

Material examined. HOLOTYPE Axociella calla de Laubenfels, 1934 USNM 22333, type locality Puerto Rico 18º13’10”N 67º25’30”W to 18º14’30”N 67º25’30”W, 13/II/1933, 20–40 fth. CNPGG –299 Blanquilla reef, Veracruz 19º13’55”N 96º6’, 25/V/1979, 22 m depth. CNPGG –1360 Alacranes reef, Yucatan 22º23’17.9”N 89º42’8.8”W, 5/VIII/2009.

Comparative material examined. Microciona rarispinosa Hechtel (1965) holotype slide YPM 5041 Port Royal, Jamaica. Esperiopsis obliqua George & Wilson (1919) lectotype slide USNM 23612 Beaufort N.C., USA, 20/I/1916.

Description. A thin encrusting sponge 2 × 3 cm 2, up to 2 mm thick ( Fig. 9 A), no oscules were seen, the dermis is contracted when extracted out of water so leaving the fibers exposed. Surface microhispid or punctiform due to projecting fiber tips. The consistency is firm, slightly compressible, even when it is very thin, resilient to the touch. Reddish orange in vivo, beige to whitish in spirit.

Skeleton. Choanosomal skeleton a slightly regular reticulum composed of ascending tracts 40–80 µm in diameter, cored by one to three stout styles sometimes uncored and sparsely echinated by the same styles. These are interconnected by secondary fibers free from spicules but very sparsely echinated, which are 20–39 µm in diameter. Mesh delineates square to triangular spaces, 230–480 µm wide ( Fig. 9 B,C). The ectosome has lost the dermis naturally, but apart from the connective fibers which traverse from one fiber to another, a few of the spicules protruding outside the surface, sometimes from the plumose tips of the ascending tracts.

Spicules. ( Fig.10 A–E) Thin and straight auxiliary subtylostyles (ectosomal) with smooth heads: 121.1–342 × 1.5–3.9 µm, stout and smooth styles (choanosomal) with a slightly compressed neck: 85.8–370 × 4.4–13 µm, palmate isochelae 21.8–26.8 µm, and two categories of toxa: I with wide arch: 15.6–59.8 × 0.5–1 µm; toxa II distal extremities almost straight: 88.4–169 µm with 2.3–5 µm in thickest diameter (Measurements in Tab. 3 ).

Remarks. The present material which is allocated to C. (Microciona) calla and compared with the holotype Axociella calla is within the range of main features of the species. Skeletal elements re-measured from the type are the same as those of the present material: ascending fibers 40–65 µm, connective fibers 20–39 µm, usually forming square meshes but with a few rounded meshes, 150–500 µm. The spicules re-measured also have a slightly shorter size in terms of megascleres and the toxa II than in the present material, a discrepancy not of significant value (See Tab. 3 ).

Clathria (M.) calla was compared with C. rarispinosa Hechtel (1965) from Jamaica (kindly sent on loan by Lourdes Rojas, YPM), and they were shown not to be conspecific. Differences concern mainly on the skeletal arrangement and spiculation: ascending tracts are thinner (30–45 µm) and uncored, without any reticulate pattern in C. rarispinosa , opposed to thicker tracts with cored styles and a rather reticulated skeleton in C. (M.) calla . Moreover, C. rarispinosa has thicker and larger tylostyles (72–702 × 5–20 µm) with minutely spined heads, sometimes smooth, and only one size category of toxa (16–63 µm). In addition, the Jamaican C. rarispinosa is fringed by mangrove swamps at the Palisadoes Peninsula ( Hechtel 1965) whereas C. (M.) calla is found in the open sea or a coral reef environment (de Laubenfels 1934; van Soest 1984; Zea 1987; and present material).

Clathria (M.) calla was also compared with the lectotype slide of Esperiopsis obliqua George & Wilson (1919) , which was reported as a synonym of the former by Alcolado (1976) and van Soest (1984). Esperiopsis obliqua differs in spicule geometry and measurements: its main styles are similar to C. (M.) calla but it has abundant strongyles as a complement, characterized by a thinned end and microspined on both sides, sometimes they are smooth, with the same size as the main styles (71.5–154 × 2.6–10.1 µm); the auxiliary spicule type is a thin tylostyle 66–145.8 × up to 2 µm, palmate isochelae are always twisted (9.6–13 µm), and toxas are very slightly arched and with long straight endings, 20–83.2 µm (all spicules re–measured). In addition, it differs from C. calla by its ramose habit, and an axially compressed skeletal structure ( George & Wilson 1919). Its current assignment is C. (C.) obliqua .

Distribution. Veracruz reef was the first record for the Gulf of Mexico in 2007 ( Gómez 2007), now extended to Yucatan, Mexico. Other locations: Puerto Rico 30–35 m; Curaçao and Bonaire 18–25 m; Cuba 10–13 m; Colombia; Panama 7 m.

Figures

FIGURE 9. Clathria (Microciona) calla (de Laubenfels, 1934). A. Sample CNPGG – 299 thinly encrusting over coral, upper side and center. B. General view of skeleton adhered to a sandy bottom, a small amount of detritus on the upper surface. C. Detail of skeleton showing cored ascending tract, secondaries free, and sparsely echinated styles. Scale bars: A, 1 cm; B, 300 µm; C, 40 µm.

FIGURE 10. SEM depiction of spicules from Clathria (Microciona) calla (de Laubenfels, 1934): A. Thick styles, wide range of sizes. B. Subtylostyles. C. Palmate isochelae. D. Large toxa. E. Small toxa. Scale bars: A, B, 20 µm; C, 5 µm; D, 40 µm; E, 10 µm.

Tables

TABLE 3. Spicule micrometries, distribution / depth (in meters) of Clathria (Microciona) calla de Laubenfels, 1934. Measurements are in µm, mean values are in bold, measurement number n = 30. Ver, Veracruz; P. R., Puerto Rico; (* Axociella calla holotype material re-measured).

Specimen	Location	Style I	Style II	Toxa I	Toxa II	Isochelae
CNPGG	Ver	246.8– 121.1 –342/	110– 220.5 –370/	15.6– 36– 59.8	102– 127 –169/	22.3– 24.9 –26.8
299	22	1.5– 2.68 –3.9	4.4– 8.5 –13		2.3– 4.2 –5
USNM	P.R.	151.8– 191.9 –248.3/	85.8– 141.2– 231.4/	15.6– 37.4 –52.2	88.4– 124 –147/	21.8– 24.1 –26
22333*	36-76	1.5– 2.2 –3.6	4.9– 7– 12.4		2.5– 2.8 –3.3
Average		219.4/2.4	173.6/7.5	36.6	125.5/3.2	24.5