Suberites hirsutus Topsent, 1927

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 87

Suberites hirsutus Topsent, 1927

( Fig. 9I )

Suberites hirsutus Topsent, 1927: 5 ; Topsent 1928: 155, pl. VI fig. 5.

(not: Suberites hirsutus sensu Van Soest 2001: 89 ).

The species was described by Topsent from N of the Azores, Prince Albert 1 er Monaco Cruises Stat. 1420, 42.8833°– 42.9°N 28.5125°W, depth 2460 m (syntype five specimens in MOM, slides in MNHN). The combination is a junior secondary homonym of Suberites hirsutus ( Fleming, 1828: 522, as Halichondria ). Johnston (1841: 138, pl. XVI fig. 1) redescribed Fleming’s species and provided a drawing of the habitus, but this is by no means certain to be of the same species. Johnston’s description and drawing (here reproduced as Fig. 9J is based on a fresh specimen with a papillate surface and monactinal spicules. No type material has been identified. Fleming’s description is made from a dried thin crust from Shetland with spicules of unknown shape protruding beyond the surface, but he also referred to Cordiner’s (1788) unrecognizable drawings (his fig. 27, erroneously indicated as fig. 24 by Fleming) and description from a sponge from the shore of Banff, Scotland (here reproduced as Fig. 9K ). The reassignment of Fleming’s species to Suberites is based entirely on Johnston’s subsequent redescription which was presented between two recognized Suberites species ( Suberites virgultosus and S. suberia ), and this is likely a misapplication. For that reason, I propose to maintain Suberites hirsutus Topsent, 1927 as a valid species, not in need of a replacement name, and to revert Fleming’s species to Halichondria hirsuta as a taxon inquirendum.

Figures

FIGURE 9. A–B. Reniera velamentosa Hansen, 1885, A. habitus pl. I fig. 10, B. spicules pl. VI fig. 3, C. Spuma borealis var. velamentosa Miklucho-Maclay, 1870: pl. II fig. 30, D. Stylocordyla borealis var. acuata Kirkpatrick, 1908: pl. XVI figs. 6–10, E. Stylocordyla borealis var. irregularis Hentschel, 1914: pl. IV fig. 2, F–G. Stylocordyla stipitata var. globosa Ridley & Dendy, 1886; Ridley & Dendy, 1887, F. habitus pl. XLIII fig. 10, G. skeleton of body text-fig. 9, H. Suberites carnosus depressus Topsent, 1900: pl. VII fig. 4, I. Suberites hirsutus; Topsent, 1928: pl. VI fig. 5, J. Suberites hirsutus sensu Johnston, 1841: pl. XVI fig. 1, K. Suberites hirsutus sensu Fleming, 1828: from Cordiner, 1788: fig. 27.