Inflatella belli ( Kirkpatrick, 1907 )

Schejter, Laura, Cristobo, Javier & Ríos, Pilar, 2024, New records of demosponges (Porifera) from the South Orkney Islands (Antarctica) with a checklist for the region, Zootaxa 5403 (4), pp. 401-430 : 409-410

Inflatella belli ( Kirkpatrick, 1907)

( Fig 4b, c )

Restricted synonymy: Joyeuxia belli Kirkpatrick, 1907 ; Inflatella fistulosa Hentschel, 1914 .

Material examined: 1 specimen collected at station 10 ( SOI; 60°59'S, 46°43'W; 307 m; 5/3/2014; MACN-In 44367; IEO-CSIC Col.) .

Description: Sponge pyriform, about 4 cm high, hollow body with tubular papillae. Smooth leathery surface, light brown in colour ( Figure 4b ). Macroscleres are slightly sinuous anisotornotes of 750–930 µm by 10–15µm ( Figure 4c ). No microscleres.

Remarks: This species has been recorded from Antarctic waters by Koltun (1964) and more recently by Göcke & Janussen (2013), among others. It´s been recorded also in sub-Antarctic waters at Burdwood bank and Malvinas (Falkland) Islands by Burton (1934). This is a new record for the SOI.

Figures

FIGURE 4. a. Coelosphaera (C.) koltuni, general morphology, scale: 2 cm; b–c. Inflatella belli; b. general morphology, scale: 2 cm; c. anisotornote, scale: 200 µm; d–i. Lissodendoryx (E.) ramilobosa, d. general morphology, scale: 2 cm; e. style I, scale: 100 µm; f. style II, scale: 70 µm; g. strongyle, scale: 50 µm; h. isochelae, scale: 20 µm; i. sigmas I and II, scale: 30 µm; j–o. Lissodendoryx (E.) anacantha, j. general morphology, scale: 15 mm; k. principal acanthostyle, scale: 100 µm; l. acanthostyle II, scale: 50 µm; m. strongyle, scale: 100 µm; n. sigmas I and II, scale: 25 µm; o. isochelae, scale: 25 µm.