Ircinia bakusi, Sim & Lee & Kim, 2016

Sim, Chung Ja, Lee, Kyung Jin & Kim, Hyung June, 2016, Nine new species of genus Ircinia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Irciniidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 5 (3), pp. 483-497 : 486-487

5. Ircinia bakusi n. sp. ( Fig. 6 )

Type specimen. Holotype (NIBRIV0000554224), Korea: Mureungachi, Daejeong­eup, Seogwipo­si , Jeju­do, 17 Aug 2015, Moon SE, by SCUBA, Depth 15 m, deposited in the NIBR.

Description. Round mass, size up to 13 × 9 × 6 cm. Surface, numerous mammilate form with low conules, but sharp conules at side of sponge. Oscules, 2­4 mm in diameter, open on top of mammilate. Colour in life pinkish brown. Texture soft and compressible. Choanosome lacunose.

Skeleton: Primary fibres, 100-150 μm, 250-270 μm in diameter, cored with small sands. In secondary fibres, secondary web, 400­1000 μm in diameter, perforated with large space, and root­like branch type, 100­300 μm in diameter. Choanosome skeletal structure, more simple than surface’s. Filaments, 3­5 μm in diameter, terminal knobs, 10­15 μm in diameter.

Etymology. This species name bakusi is named after late Dr. Gerald J. Bakus, who was a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, a marine ecologist and a sponge taxonomist.

Remark. This new species is closed to Ircinia gapaensis n. sp. in sponge shape, but differs in skeletal structure. This new species have well developed choanosome skeletal structure.

Figures

Fig. 6. Ircinia bakusi n. sp. A, entire animal; B, skeletal structure in conules; C, subdermal skeletal structure; D, closed skeletal structure; E, cored primary fibres near surface; F, choanosome skeletal structure; G, primary and secondary fibres; H, branched secondary fibres. Scale bars:A=3 cm, B, C=200 μm, D-H=100 μm.