Gelliodes Ridley, 1884

Calcinai, Barbara, Bavestrello, Giorgio, Bertolino, Marco, Pica, Daniela, Wagner, Daniel & Cerrano, Carlo, 2013, Sponges associated with octocorals in the Indo-Pacific, with the description of four new species, Zootaxa 3617 (1), pp. 1-61 : 51-53

Genus Gelliodes Ridley, 1884

Gelliodes hamata Thiele, 1903 ( Fig. 33 A–I)

Examined material. Sample Bugor Onong: Indonesia, North Sulawesi, Siladen Island, Siladen Onong, 28 m, 27 January 2007.

Description. The sponge covers about 7 cm of the colony of Paratelesto rosea , starting from the basal stolons ( Fig. 33 A); the rest of the colony is covered by Mycale (Aegogropila) furcata n. sp. Surface microhispid. In ethanol the sponge is purple with whitish shadings ( Fig. 33 A, B).

Skeleton. The ectosomal skeleton consists of an irregular, tangential network of spongin fibres containing single oxeas ( Fig. 33 C, D) and scattered sigmas. The choanosomal skeleton is similar to the ectosome but more irregular ( Fig. 33 E, F). Ascending fibres of the choanosome pierce the surface making it slightly shaggy ( Fig. 33 D).

Spicules. Oxeas in a single size class ( Fig. 33 G), 200 – (265.3 ± 35.2) – 305 x 2 – (7 ± 3.8) – 12.5 μm.

Sigmas of two kinds: sigmas I flabellate ( Fig. 33 H), 95 – (112.5 ± 9.5) – 125 μm; sigmas II ( Fig. 33 I), 17.5 – (25.3 ± 4.3) – 30 μm.

Distribution and remarks. Indonesia. This is the second record of the species in Indonesia since its first description. Flabellate sigmas are also present in Gelliodes flagellifera Vacelet, Vasseur & Lévi, 1976 . The latter and G. h a m a t a are very similar in terms of spicule complement and dimensions, and both can incorporate sand grains and foreign material. In G. flagellifera oxeas are 250 – 300 x 7.5 – 10 μm, sigmas flabellate are 100 – 120 x 1.2 – 2 μm and regular sigmas are 30 – 40 x 1.2 – 2 μm ( Vacelet et al. 1976). Vacelet et al. (1976) reported G. flagellifera from Madagascar (as Gelliodes flagellifer ( Ridley & Dendy, 1886) , originally described by Ridley & Dendy as Gellius flagellifer ). According to van Soest et al. (2011), to date Ridley & Dendy’s species is considerd as Haliclona (Gellius) flagellifera and the specimen of Vacelet et al. (1976) is elevated to specific status (as Gelliodes flagellifera ). As consequence of the previous considerations G. flagellifera Vacelet et al. 1976 is likely a junior synonym of G. hamata Thiele.

Figures

FIGURE 33. Gelliodes hamata Thiele, 1903. A, Sponge covering the basal stolons of Paratelesto rosea; B. Close up of the sponge; C – D, Ectosomal skeleton of an irregular, tangential network of spongin fibres; E – F, Choanosomal skeleton formed by irregular network of spongin fibres; G, Oxea; H, Flabellate sigma I; I, Sigma II.