Clathrina gardineri, (DENDY, 1913)

Klautau, Michelle & Valentine, Clare, 2003, Revision of the genus Clathrina (Porifera, Calcarea), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 139 (1), pp. 1-62 : 26

CLATHRINA GARDINERI (DENDY, 1913)

Original name: Leucosolenia gardineri Dendy, 1913

Type locality: Salomon (Chagos Archipelago).

Type: BMNH 1920.12 .9.47 (lectotype /alcohol) , BMNH 1920.12 .9.48 (paratype /alcohol). Salomon (Chagos Archipelago), 10–14 fathoms (18–25 m), ‘Sealark’ Expedition. Dendy Collection (Collection numbers CXX 7 and CXX 11, respectively) .

Citations: Dendy & Row (1913); Tanita (1942, 1943); Hôzawa, 1941; Burton (1963).

Colour: Preserved specimen is light yellow.

Description: Formed of regularly and tightly anastomosed, very thin, delicate tubes ( Fig. 19A ). In shape it is lobose, and full of folds. Each fold is flat, thin and delicate. We did not see any oscula.

In the centre of each fold there is a large tube (pseudoatrium) ( Fig. 19B ), with choanocytes, surrounded by thinner tubes. Covering the external tubes, there are some large triactines ( Fig. 19C ). The wall of the tubes is very thin. The tubes are perpendicular to the surface, and converge at a large central tube. Above the central tube, it is possible to see some lacunes.

The skeleton is formed of two types of triactines, of different sizes, and tetractines of the same size as the shorter triactines ( Fig. 19D, E ). The spicules are equiradiate and equiangular. Actines are conical with sharp tips.

The large triactines are present only in the outside of the external tubes, where they lie side by side. The other triactines are spread along the tubes.

Tetractines are less abundant than triactines. Their apical actine is almost the same thickness as the other actines. It is conical, sharp, shorter, straight and smooth and projected inside the tubes.

Remarks: Dendy (1913) used BMNH 1920.12.9.47 and BMNH 1920.12.9.48 to describe his species L. gardineri , and named them as lectotype and syntype, respectively.

He discussed morphological differences between them which he thought were either a result of the reproductive state of the syntype, or because they were in different states of contraction when collected. We were very suspicious about this because even the size of the spicules is different. Spicule sizes of the syntype ( BMNH 1920.12.9.48) are given in the next table .

However, we believe that other specimens from the type locality collected at different times of year should be analysed before further conclusions are made.

Figures

Figure 19. Clathrina gardineri. A, photograph of the lectotype (¥ 4). B, pseudoatrium (arrow). C, external tubes with large triactines. D, triactines, tetractine and large triactine. E, triactines, tetractines and an apical actine of a tetractine (arrow). Scale bar = 100 Mm.