Mycale (Grapelia) unguifera Hajdu, Zea, Kielman & Peixinho, 1995

Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, Zootaxa 3805 (1), pp. 1-129 : 69

Mycale (Grapelia) unguifera Hajdu, Zea, Kielman & Peixinho, 1995

Synonymy and References. Mycale (Grapelia) unguifera Hajdu, Zea, Kielman & Peixinho, 1995: 9 , figs. 18–30.

Material. USNM 1229067, Curlew Bank forereef slope, small cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni & M. Parrish col. 23 Aug 2012.

External morphology. A thin cushion, 45 x 15 mm (6 cm 2), up to 4 mm thick. The smooth surface shows 5 small (1.5 mm) circular oscula. Consistency is soft and mucous when handled, live color grayish blue.

Skeleton structure. Choanosomal subtylostyles dispersed without orientation, accompanied by various microscleres. Ectosomal subtylostyles more or less tangential, anisocheles in between, some arranged in rosettes.

Spicules. Subtylostyles slender, with elongate, oval heads and mostly dull points: 284–386 x 4–7 (356 x 5) Μm; anisocheles I, with curved shaft, unguiferate head and palmate foot with alae topped by spines: 34–41 (36) Μm; anisocheles II, with curved shaft, head composed of spines of different sizes (no alae recognizable) and palmate foot with alae topped by spines: 15–18 (17) Μm; sigmas, with sharply bent, sharp hooks: 50–53 (52, n=10) Μm.

Ecology. Growing on the wall of a forereef cave, 20 m. Type material is reported from coral bases and rock substrate in 6– 10 m.

Distribution. Caribbean Colombia and Belize.

Comments. Anisocheles III described from the type material were not found in our preparations, otherwise all morphological characteristics and dimensions agree well.