Phycopsis pesgalli, Alvarez, Belinda, De Voogd, Nicole J. & Soest, Van, 2016

Alvarez, Belinda, De Voogd, Nicole J. & Soest, Van, 2016, Sponges of the family Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) in Indonesia, Zootaxa 4137 (4), pp. 451-477 : 466-469

Phycopsis pesgalli sp. nov

( Fig. 2 , 9 )

Phycopsis NT0038.— Przeslawski et al. 2014, 2015 (listed only).

Material examined. HOLOTYPE.— RMNH POR. 6539, North Sulawesi, Lembeh Strait, Sarena Kecil, 1.4571°N., 125.2253°E, 20 m depth, 17 February 2012, #LEM34/ 170212 /265, coll. N.J.de Voogd. ADDITIONAL MATERIAL.— RMNH POR. 3618, Indonesia Bali, N side of Nusa Penida, Tanjung Biasmuntig, 8.6731°S, 115.4869°E., 30 m depth, 20 April 2001, #Bal31/NV/0200401/246, coll. N.J. de Voogd. ZMA Por. 12271, Indonesia Haingsisi, Samau Island, Lesser Sunda Islands, 10.1358°S, 123.63°E, 0–36 m depth, 2 February 1900, coll. Siboga Expedition , dredge. ZMA Por. 13355, Indonesia, SW Sulawesi, Bone Tambung, SW Sulawesi, 5.033°S, 119.3°E, 15 m depth, 18 June 1997, coll. N.J. de Voogd. ZMA Por. 14505, Indonesia, SW Sulawesi, NW Kapoposang Island,, 4.6885°S, 118.937°E, 26 m depth, 2 May 1998, coll. B.W. Hoeksema.

Description. Shape ( Fig. 8 A, C). Bushy or branching on a thin and long peduncle up to 1 cm diameter. Specimens up to 5 cm high by 3 cm wide. Branches, 5–10 mm diameter fused at base, with round trips.

Oscula. Not seen.

Consistency. Flexible, hardly compressible.

Surface. Covered with conules organised in rows, up to 2 cm long, pierced by choanosomal spicules isolated or in plumose tracts.

Skeleton ( Fig. 9 B, D). Plumose-halichondroid, differentiated in axial and extra-axial regions. Extra-axial region consists of plumose, short or long processes, 200–800 µm thick, and single spicules, both projecting perpendicularly from axial skeleton. Longer processes divide and thin out near surface. Axial skeleton compressed in cross section, tightly packed with interwoven strongyles. Spongin fibres ill-defined at extra-axial region; clear collagen bounding skeleton. Spicule tracts multispicular, longitudinal, wavy and anastomosing in axial region and diverging toward extra-axial region and through surface processes.

Spicules ( Fig. 9 E, Table.8). Strongyles, thin, wavy, sinuous 331.6–1545.8 x 5 –19.1 µm. Styles, straight, or slightly curved, or with narrow bases, or bent near base, or transitional to anisoxeas, 259.8–885.4 x 5.6–28.8µm. Anisoxeas and oxeas, with stepped tips, straight or slightly curved or even sinuous, less frequent, 338.7–1040.9 x 5.2–30.6µm.

Remarks. The species described here is very similar in external shape to the New Caledonian species Phycopsis fusiformis ( Lévi, 1967) , P. epakros ( Hooper & Lévi, 1993) and P. papillata ( Hooper & Lévi, 1993) . These species, which are nearly identical and likely to be conspecific, have also similar skeletal organisation and spicule composition to P. pesgalli sp. nov., but both length and width of spicules is significantly smaller, and the strongyles, in particular, are difficult to find and ‘fragile’ (found broken in the spicule preparations) (see Table 8). Until more information becomes available to determine whether these skeletal differences are driven by environmental variables, we consider that the material herein described from the Central Indo-Pacific is not conspecific with that so far described from New Caledonia.

Phycopsis hirsuta Carter, 1883 , from Southern Australia and type species of the genus, is similar to P. fruticulosa Carter, 1883 from Tasmania, and has similar spicule composition to the new species but differs in external morphology and in the skeletal organisation, especially at the axial region, where a vague reticulation of spongin fibres occurs.

Phycopsis hispidula ( Ridley, 1884) , described as Protoschmidtia ), and recorded for the Central Indo-Pacific, has a reticulated skeleton of primary and secondary fibres cored with paucispicular tracts of oxeas and is suggested here to belong to Amphimedon [comb. nov., type, BMNH 1881.10.21.311–2, Albani I., northern Australia, 6–8 m depth, coll. HMS Alert; examined].

Table 8. Spicule dimensions of Phycopsis pesgalli sp. nov.

Locality Strongyles Oxeas/anisoxeas Styles/anisoxeas RMNH POR.6539 (holotype) Lembeh 728.6 – 1168.2µm (954.2) x 5.1 – 14.3 341.6 – 833.8 µm (549) x 7.6 – 14.7

µm (9.5)[9] µm [22]

RMNH POR. 3618 Bali 938.3 – 1322.5µm (1075.7±125.9) [12] 338.7 – 1040.9µm (724.9±210.9) 407.8 – 883.2µm (630.1±150.5)

x 7.6 – 11.4µm (9.2±1) [12] x 5.2 – 30.6µm (15±6.2) x 6.8 – 17.9µm (12±2.8) ZMA Por. 12271 Lesser Sunda 359.3 – 1545.8µm (1026.6±259.6) 392.4 – 869.6µm (648.1±158)

x 5 – 19.1µm (11±2.9) x 10.7 – 23.5µm (17.1±3.3) ZMA Por. 14505 Sulawesi 331.6 – 1186.4µm (942±217.1) [19] 384.6 – 885.4µm (697.6±132.2)

x 5.4 – 14.4µm (9.2±2.1) [19] x 5.6 – 17.9µm (10.9±3.4) NTM Z6874 Bonaparte Gulf 619.8 – 1287.7µm (909.9±232.5) [10] 352.6 – 781.2µm (602.3±135.8) 259.8 – 634.2µm (448.8±148.7)

[11] [11]

x 8 – 16.3µm (11.9±2.6) [10] x 13.4 – 24.8µm (19.5±4) [11] x 15 – 28.8µm (20.6±4.1) [11] Phycopsis hirsuta (Carter) * Type, South Australia) 300 – 690 µm (502±136.45) 310 – 410 µm (366±34.7) [10] 310 – 410 µm (355±34.7)

x 5 – 13 µm (8.8±2.1) [10] x 5 – 12 µm (9.9±2.3) [10] x 5 – 12 µm (9.1±2.1) [10]

Phycopsis fusiformis (Levi) ** Type, New Caledonia) 414 – 900 µm (664) 224 – 350 µm (267.5)

x2.5 – 6 µm (3.5) x6 – 11 µm (8.2) Phycopsis epakros (Hooper & Levi) ** Type, New Caledonia) 424 – 448 µm (448.2) vestigial 134 – 328 µm

x 2.5 – 5 µm (3.4) x2.5 – 5 µm (3.5) Phycopsis papillatus (Hooper & Type, New Caledonia) 140 – 243 µm (190.1) vestigial

Levi)**

x1.5 – 4 µm (2.4)

Measurements from * Alvarez & Hooper (2002), ** Hooper& Levi (1993)

Distribution. The new species is found in the Lesser Sunda and Sulawesi MEOWs, between 26–66 m depth ( Fig. 2 ). The species is known by the common name ‘chicken feet’ and is widespread through the Indo-Pacific as reflected in the collections of Coral Reef Research Foundation, Palau, but not yet described or formally recorded from those localities. The species also occurs in the Bonaparte Gulf MEOW ( Przeslawski et al. 2014; Przeslawski et al. 2015).

Etymology. Named after the growth form resemblance of chicken-feet (pes, Latin for foot; gallus, Latin for chicken).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Map showing the geographical location of the described species.

FIGURE 8. Phakellia cf. tropicalis. A, ZMA Por. 12356, preserved specimen. B, ZMA Por. 12356, light microphotograph of skeleton, C, drawing of spicules. Scale bars: A, 2 cm; B, 500 µm; D, 100 µm.

FIGURE 9. Phycopsis pesgalli sp. nov. RMNH POR. 3618: A, in situ at Nusa Penida Bali; B, light microphotograph of skeleton. C, RMNH POR. 6539 in situ at Lembeh. ZMA Por. 14505: D, light microphotograph of skeleton; E, drawing of spicules. Scale bars: B, D, 500 µm; E, 100 µm. Photos A, C, Nicole de Voogd.