Spongelia spinosa var. rigida Hyatt, 1877

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 21

Spongelia spinosa var. rigida Hyatt, 1877

Spongelia spinosa var. rigida Hyatt, 1877: 536 (no illustration).

The variety was described by Hyatt from the beach at Fort Pierce near the mouth of the Indian River, Florida, USA, approximate coordinates 27.1661°N 80.1567°W (holotype, MCZ PORa-7133). Hyatt characterized it as similar to the typical variety and thus it likely belongs to Dysidea , but the distinguishing features are unrecognizable and are lacking any illustration. Since the variety is almost certainly distinct from the typical variety in view of the geographic separation, the variety must be elevated to the status of species, as Dysidea rigida ( Hyatt, 1877) . There is not sufficient descriptive data to distinguish this species from the half a dozen well-established Dysidea species of the Central Western Atlantic, so the species remains taxon inquirendum.