Neophrissospongia cf. nolitangere Schmidt, 1870

Fig. 37

Diagnostic features.

Plate or ear-shaped sponges with 1-2 cm thick walls with rounded margins, and 8-12 cm across. Tan-brown, plate. The cf. denomination was given since minute oscula on inner surface (0.5-1 mm wide) and a pedicel described for Neophrissospongia nolitangere were not seen in the image or during voucher analysis.

Similar species.

Corallistes typus and other species from the same genus. Neophrissospongia differs from Corallistes by the spiny or tuberculate nature of the dichotriaene top in the former, and the smooth nature on the later.

Distribution and abundance.

Neophrissospongia nolitangere is common at deep waters from the eastern Atlantic, Azores and Mediterranean. Schuster et al. (2021) report at least 4 undescribed species of this genus in the tropical western Atlantic. This is the first report of the genus for the northwestern GOM, at FGBNMS seen once at one site.

Ecology.

Algal nodules.

Identification.

KR, CA, SWK, MCD.

References.

Pissera and Levi 2002; Schuster et al. 2021