Acoelocalyx brucei Topsent, 1910

Janussen, Dorte & Reiswig, Henry M., 2009, Hexactinellida (Porifera) from the ANDEEP III Expedition to the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, Zootaxa 2136, pp. 1-20 : 3

Acoelocalyx brucei Topsent, 1910

( Fig. 1A )

Material examined: SMF 10530, ANDEEP III, R.V. 'Polarstern', stn PS67/102-11, Weddell Sea, Antarctica , 0 6 Mar. 2005, 65°35.40'–35.51'S, 36°29.00'–28.83'W, 4794–4797 m, ethanol.

Description and remarks. The single small specimen obtained by trawl was intact and in very good shape when retrieved; overall length 7.5 cm, body 1 cm long, stalk 4.5 cm long, and root ball 1.5 cm long ( Fig. 1A ). Spiculation is generally consistent with descriptions of Topsent (1910, 1913), and Tabachnick (2002a); microscleres are much smaller than Topsent originally indicated, but agree with measurements more recently given by Tabachnick (2002a) for the holotype. The ANDEEP III specimen is very important, being only the second known sample of this species. It has not been reported since its original description by Topsent (1910, 1913) from the 1903 'Scotia' collection, very close to the new site and from a similar depth.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Acoelocalyx brucei (SMF 10530). B. Malacosaccus coatsi from stn PS 67 / 121 - 7 (SMF 10521).