Grapelia australis Gray, 1867: 534 Esperia parasitica Carter, 1885: 108 Pseudoesperia enigmatica Carter, 1886: 455 Esperella enigmatica Dendy 1896: 14 Mycale parasitica var. arenosa Hentschel, 1911: 311 Guiler 1950: 8 Mycale (Mycale) parasitica var. arenosa Shaw 1927: 423 Mycale parasitica Carpay 1986: 31 Mycale (Grapelia) australis Van Soest & Hajdu 2002: 680 Mycale species of the tropical Indo-West Pacific (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) Van, Rob W. M. Aryasari, Ratih De, Nicole J. Zootaxa 2021 2021-01-19 4912 1 1 212 44RWL (Gray, 1867) Gray 1867 [151,647,1649,1676] Demospongiae Mycalidae Mycale Animalia Poecilosclerida 88 89 Porifera species australis Grapelia   Figs 56a–f   Hymeniacidonspec. Bowerbank 1864: fig. 135.      Grapelia australis Gray, 1867: 534.     Esperia parasitica Carter, 1885: 108, pl. IV fig. 1.     Pseudoesperia enigmatica Carter, 1886: 455.    Esperella enigmatica;  Dendy 1896: 14.     Mycale parasiticavar. arenosa Hentschel, 1911: 311, fig. 13;  Guiler 1950: 8.    Mycale (Mycale) parasiticavar. arenosa;  Shaw 1927: 423.    Mycale parasitica;  Carpay 1986: 31, 71 fig. MC1.    Mycale (Grapelia) australis; Hajdu 1995: 74, figs 6.1–12;  Van Soest & Hajdu 2002: 680, fig. 7.   Material examined.  ZMAPor. 10712, Australia, Tasmania, Stockyard Point, 43.2°S 144.3°E, depth  6 m,  SCUBA, coll. M. Carpay,  10 December 1984(beige-yellow).  Summary description(Partially after Hajdu 1995). Massive, rather globular, sponge ( Fig. 56a), with dimensions 11 x 15 x 5 cm(rather similar to the neotypespecimen BMNH1886.12.1.5.467 depicted in Hajdu 1995 figs 2–3). Beige to mustard-yellow alive, beige in preservation. Surface optically smooth, with scattered oscules of 5–8 mmin diameter and one larger vent-like depression of 3 cmin diameter and 1 cmdeep. Surface provided with clear, partially detachable, crust, where damaged showing underlying skeletal reticulation. Consistency compressible. Skeleton ( Fig. 56b) plumoreticulate, with strongly developed spicule tracts, up to 300 µmin diameter in the deeper parts, down to 60 µmdiameter in subsurface tracts. Thicker tracts are irregularly interconnected by thinner tracts at varied angles. Subectosomal skeleton partially consisting of unispicular brushes upon which rests the confused tangential ectosomal skeleton strengthened by foreign material. Rosettes ( Fig. 56b) of 15–20 anisochelae I ( 105–110 µmin diameter) and II(average 45 µmin diameter) are numerous and contribute to the surface skeleton. Spicules ( Figs 56c–f) robust mycalostyles ( Figs 48c,c 1) with barely swollen heads, usually curved, sometimes bent in opposing directions, 345– 377.0–405 x 8– 12.8– 15 µm, moderately strongly curved anisochelae I ( Fig. 56d), with unguiferous upper alae, and squarish lower alae, 43– 51.6– 60 µm, anisochelae II( Figs 56e,e 1) with three-pronged serrated flattened upper alae (Fig, 56e1) and lightly serrated lower alae ( Fig. 56e 1), 18– 20.2– 22 µm, and spurred anisochelae III( Fig. 56f), with lateral upper and lower alae meeting along the shaft, 15– 16.9– 19 µm. No sigmas (erroneously reported by Carpay 1986, mistaking these for the anisochelae II).   Distribution. South and West Australia, including Tasmania.   Remarks. The difference in size between anisochelae II and III is supposedly the opposite of what is found in  M. (G.) ancorina. However, the size of anisochelae III is overlapping with that of anisochelae II, and it is minimal between anisochelae of  M. (G.) ancorina( 18–22 µm) and  M. (G.) australis( 16–19 µm), so the value of the distinction between the two species appears to be dubious for this feature. The main difference between the two sympatric Australian species remains the habitus (arborescent in  M. (G.) ancorinaand massive globular in  M. (G.) australis). West Australian  M. (G.) carteri( Dendy & Frederick, 1924)is a further species similar to the above in general aspects, including habitus and shapes of anisochelae, but differs sharply from the present species and also from  M. (G.) ancorinain the possession of sigmas. Likewise, the Madagascan  M. (G.) vaceletiHajdu, 1995is close to the present species but the holotypecontains rare sigmas (not the paratypeapparently), and sizes of anisochelae I and III differ substantially. 3026466548 [391,1324,151,177] ZMA Australia 6 -43.2 Stockyard Point 6874 144.3 90 91 1 Tasmania 3026466564 1984-12-10 SCUBA M. Carpay Australia 90 91 1 Tasmania