Latrunculia (Latrunculia) biformis Kirkpatrick, 1908

Samaai, Toufiek, Gibbons, Mark J. & Kelly, Michelle, 2006, Revision of the genus Latrunculia du Bocage, 1869 Porifera: Demospongiae: Latrunculiidae) with descriptions of new species from New Caledonia and the Northeastern Pacific (, Zootaxa 1127 (1), pp. 1-71 : 19-30

Latrunculia (Latrunculia) biformis Kirkpatrick, 1908

( Figs 1D, 2 , 4C ; Tables 2 & 3)

Latrunculia apicalis Ridley and Dendy : 1887: 234 (in part; BMNH 1887.5.2.84a). Latrunculia apicalis var. biformis Kirkpatrick, 1908:14 ; Latrunculia apicalis var. biformis ; Burton 1929:444; Latrunculia apicalis ; Koltun 1964:1–6; Latrunculia biformis ; Boury­Esnault and Van Beveren 1984: 44; Latrunculia biformis ; Samaai et al., 2003, pg. 6, FIGS 4A , 5A; TABLE . 1.

Holotype material. BMNH 1908.2 .5.70, labeled Latrunculia apicalis var. biformis by Kirkpatrick , Winter Quarters , Antarctica, National Antarctic Expedition 1901­04, HMS Discovery, 18–27 m.

Other material examined. BMNH 1908.2 .5.69 b & c (Paratypes) labeled Latrunculia apicalis var. biformis by Kirkpatrick, Winter Quarters, Antarctica, National Antarctic Expedition 1901­04, HMS Discovery, 18– 27 m. BMNH 1887.5.2.84a labeled L. apicalis (Type) identified by Ridley and Dendy, 1887, ethanol preserved sample and microscope­slides, off the mouth of Rio de la Plata, Argentina, 37° 17' S., 53° 52' W, depth 1080 m, Challenger Expedition, February 14, 1876 . MNHM MD03 50D D.NBE 1388 labeled L. apicalis identified by Boury­Esnault in Boury­Esnault and van Beveren, 1984, spicule slide only, NW of Kerguelen, Subantarctic region, stn 17, depth 585 m. BMNH 1928.2.15.849a, labeled L. lendenfeldi identified by Burton, HMS Discovery Investigation "Cape Trawler", microscope­slide, depth and locality unknown . BMNH 1935.10 .26.141 labeled L. lendenfeldi identified by Mawson, Antarctica? Mawson Antarctic Expedition, coll. No. 2138, microscope­slide, depth and locality unknown . BMNH 1928.2 .15.792 labeled Latrunculia lendenfeldi identified by Burton , HMS Discovery Investigation, microscopeslide, depth and locality unknown . QM 301316 (cross ref. 91–140 Capon and Ts 29) labeled Latrunculia apicalis identified by John Hooper, 1­1­1991 , Antarctica, trawling, depth and locality unknown, collected summer 1990/1991. MK Harper 90­174 (cross ref. TS 19 and MKB 378 ) Rheeders Bay , Tsitsikamma National Park, South Africa, 34º 10'S; 23º 54'E, depth 28 m, collected by MKHarper, (Smithkline Beecham Collection), 1995. Capon 91­145 (cross ref. Ts 28) labeled Sigmosceptrella sp. identified by John Hooper 1­1­1994 , Antarctica, trawling, depth and locality unknown, collected summer 1990/1991. NZOI stn A461 (cross ref. Ts 50) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 73º 32.0'S; 171º 22'W, Antarctica, 564– 553 m, collected on the 18/01/1959 . NZOI stn C620 (cross ref. NZPOR 16 and Ts 52) unidentified sponge in NIWA collection, 43º 40'S; 174º 47'W, Antarctica, 752– 737 m, collected on the 02/05/1961 . QM 301316 (cross ref. Ts 137) labeled L. apicalis identified by John Hooper, 1­1­1991 , Antarctica, trawling, depth and locality unknown, collected summer 1990/1991. QM 311144 (cross ref. Q66C3093 and Ts 154) labeled L. apicalis identified by John Hooper, Ross Island , Antarctica 77º 52'S; 166º 39'E, depth 20 m, found on fine sediment, between thinly covered bed rock, under ice, collected by AIMS/NCI on the 23/10/ 1989 . QM 31163 (cross ref. Q66C3135 and Ts 155) labeled Latrunculia sp. identified by John Hooper , Salmon Island, Antarctica 77º 55' 50"S; 163º 34'E, depth 30 m, found on fine sediment, collected by AIMS/NCI on the 08/12/1989 . ZMA POR 11524 (cross ref. ASC­111­96­35; Ts 437) labeled L. apicalis identified by van Soest, Antarctica, Granite Harbour, Intake jetty, depth 33 m, collected by Baker on the 16/10/1996 . ZMA POR 11526 (cross ref. ASC­111­96­46; Ts 438) labeled L. apicalis identified by van Soest, Antarctica, Granite Harbour, Intake jetty, depth 33 m, collected by Baker on the 16/10/1996 . TS 15539 (cross ref. Ts 459) labeled L. apicalis identified on the 27/12/1929, Banzare stn 30, MacRobertson Land, Antarctica, 66º 48.0'S; 71º 24'E, depth 540 m. TS 15537 (cross ref. Ts 460) labeled L. apicalis, Banzare stn 105, MacRobertson Land , Antarctica, 67º 46.0'S; 67º 03'E, depth 163 m. TS 15542 (cross ref. Ts 461) labeled L. apicalis identified on the 26/01/1930 , Banzare stn 42, Enderby Land, Antarctica, 65º 50.0'S; 54º 23'E, depth 220 m. TS 15540 (cross ref. Ts 463) labeled L. apicalis identified on the 27/12/1929 , Banzare stn 30, MacRobertson Land, Antarctica, 66º 48.0'S; 71º 24'E, depth 540 m. TS 15543 (cross ref. Ts 465) labeled L. apicalis identified on the 16/02/1931 , Banzare stn 107, MacRobertson Land, Antarctica, 66º 45.0'S; 62º 03'E, depth 219 m. TS 15541 (cross ref. Ts 466) labeled L. apicalis identified on the 27/12/1929 , Banzare stn 30, MacRobertson Land, Antarctica, 66º 48.0'S; 71º 24'E, depth 540 m. TS 15538 (cross ref. Ts 467) labeled L. apicalis, Banzare stn 105, MacRobertson Land , Antarctica, 67º 46.0'S; 67º 03'E, depth 163 m. QM 315014 (cross ref. Ts 164) labeled Latrunculiidae , Antarctica .

Diagnosis Hemispherical to globular sponge, with ectosomal layer easily detachable from the underlying choanosome and surface crowded with conical volcano­shaped oscules, and numerous flattened mammiform areolate porefields. Texture firm, resilient and slightly fleshy. External colour in life mottled chocolate brown, interior dark chocolate brown, in preservative dark chocolate brown. The choanosomal skeleton is an irregular polygonal­meshed reticulation formed by wispy tracts of smooth styles ( Fig. 4C ), ranging in width from 45–130 µm in thickness, forming meshes that are 270 µm wide. Microscleres are anisodiscorhabds and aciculodiscorhabds and these are abundant throughout the choanosome. The surface of the ectosome is lined with an erect layer of anisodiscorhabds. Beneath the anisodiscorhabds the ectosome is composed of a thin but dense layer of paratangential styles approximately 273 m wide. This layer is present in the fistulae with styles disposed in a compact regular vertical to oblique arrangement supporting the mammiform areolate structures. Anisostyles are smooth, centrally thickened, hastily pointed and slightly sinuous, often with slight irregular inflations on the shaft, 453 (437–464) x 9 (9) m diameter, n=20. Microscleres in two categories ( Fig. 1D): 1) aciculodiscorhabds, the manubrium is short with a regular expanded spinose base, armoured with a basal whorl with a series of separate short spines, followed by a smooth, short, stout, shaft 16 m long and 7 m wide. Median whorl is circular, broad, flat, and horizontally arranged with segments divided into seven denticulate margins or spines, 23 m in diameter, similar in diameter to the subsidiary whorl, slanting slightly upwards and divided into six denticulate margins. The spines of the apical whorl are reduced and slanted upwards and protruding from the apex is a short, spined apical projection, 23 m long, which gradually tapers to a fine point. Aciculodiscorhabd length, 73 (62–83) m, n=20. 2) Anisodiscorhabd without apical projection, having four whorls of spines; median whorl circular, flat and horizontally arranged, 35 m in diameter. The subsidiary whorl is short and leaf­like and slanted upwards pointing towards apical whorl. Anisodiscorhabd length, 55 (51–58) m, n=20. The habitat of the sponge in the shallow environment (intertidal and subtidal) is a rocky substrata, whereas in the deeper regions they occupy sandy and muddy environments. The depth range from 18–1 080 m (after Samaai et al., 2003).

Geographic distribution ( Fig. 2 ). South Africa; Rio de la Plata, Argentina; Antarctica; Kerguelen Islands.

Remarks. Ridley and Dendy (1887) collected three specimens that were identified as Latrunculia apicalis on the H. M. S. ‘Challenger’ expedition, one off Christmas Harbour, Kerguelen (BMNH 1887.5.2.88a), and two specimens from Rio de la Plata, Argentina (one being BMNH 1887.5.2.84a) (see Table 2). Examination of these samples by Samaai et al. (2003) revealed that BMNH 1887.5.2.84a from Argentina differed from the Kerguelen sample (BMNH 1887.5.2.88a) in possession of an additional type of acanthodiscorhabd with an apical projection termed an aciculodiscorhabd ( Samaai & Kelly 2002). In their description of Latrunculia apicalis, Dendy and Ridley (1886) and Ridley and Dendy (1887), failed to mention the presence of these spicules. Aciculodiscorhabds were first observed in L. apicalis , by Kirkpatrick (1908), in samples dredged in Antarctica. He named this new material Latrunculia apicalis var. biformis .

Spiculation and histology of the South African material (Tsitsikamma National Park, SAM H­4959) is very similar to Kirkpatrick’s material ( Kirkpatrick 1908) and that of Ridley & Dendy (1887) (BMNH 1887.5.2.88a) in possessing aciculodiscorhabds. As he was clear in stating the subspecific rank of this specimen ("var"), the name biformis under article 45g, 46b and 72a of the ICZN was elevated to species status and subsequently referred to as L. biformis (see Samaai et al. 2003). The possession of these microscleres in the ectosomal microsclere palisade is consistent between specimens and unique within the genus, justifying our elevation of the varietal status to species status.

Examination of the specimens within the biformis complex reveals considerable variation in the size ( Table 3) and structure of the discorhabds. The aciculodiscorhabd of specimen BMNH 1887.5.2.84a has leaf­like lobes, with the apical prolongation smooth, long and thin (46 µm long) and much larger (96.6 µm) than the holotype and the other specimens. Three specimens have a third variety of hypertrophied aciculodiscorhabds (see Table 3).

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Figures

FIGURE 2. Worldwide distributions of Latrunculia (Latrunculia) species. Distributions of 1) Latrunculia cratera du Bocage, 2) L. bocagei Ridley and Dendy, 3) L. apicalis Ridley and Dendy, 4) L. biformis Kirkpatrick, 5) Latrunculia basilis Kirkpatrick, 6) L. brevis Ridley and Dendy, 7) Latrunculia palmata Lévi, 8) Latrunculia multirotalis Topsent, 9) Latrunculia crenulata Lévi, 10) Latrunculia ikematsui Tanita, 11) Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al., 12) Latrunculia triverticillata Alvarez et al., 13) Latrunculia fiordensis Alvarez et al., 14) Latrunculia novaecaledoniae sp. nov.

FIGURE 4. Photomicrographs of choanosomal architectures: A. L. bocagei Ridley and Dendy 1886; B. Latrunculia apicalis Ridley and Dendy 1886; C. Latrunculia biformis Kirkpatrick 1908; D. Latrunculia basilis Kirkpatrick 1908; E. Latrunculia brevis Ridley and Dendy 1887; F. Latrunculia multirotalis Topsent 1905.

FIGURE 5. Photomicrographs of choanosomal architectures: A. Latrunculia ikematsui Tanita 1968; B. Latrunculia oxydiscorhabda Alvarez et al. 2002; C. Latrunculia triverticillata Alvarez et al. 2002; D. Latrunculia austini sp. nov.; E. Latrunculia citharistae Vacelet 1969; F. Latrunculia purpurea Carter 1881.