Aciculites Schmidt, 1879

Schlacher-Hoenlinger, Monika A., Pisera, Andrzej & Hooper, John N. A., 2005, Deep-sea “ lithistid ” assemblages from the Norfolk Ridge (New Caledonia), with description of seven new species and a new genus (Porifera, Demospongiae), Zoosystema 27 (4), pp. 649-698 : 652-655

Genus Aciculites Schmidt, 1879

Aciculites Schmidt, 1879: 29 , pl. 2:1, 4, 13.

Sympyla Sollas, 1888: 353 .

TYPE SPECIES. — Aciculites higginsi Schmidt, 1879 by monotypy.

DEFINITION. — Sponges with rhizoclone desmas bearing strong blunt spines, acanthose anisostrongyles and/or styles and no microscleres (Pisera F Lévi 2002a).

Aciculites orientalis Dendy, 1905 ( Figs 2A ; 5 ; 21 )

Aciculites orientalis Dendy, 1905: 101 , pl. 4, fig. 3. — Lévi F Lévi 1989: 47, fig. 16.

HOLOTYPE. — Ceylon Seas ( BMNH “ RN 50 ”).

MATERIAL EXAMINED (see Table 1). — Introuvable, 562-589 m ( QM G318596, QM G318637, QM G318638).

DESCRIPTION

Growth form

Massive cushion shape to cylindrical/spherical sponges with a broad base and a flattened upper surface which bears a large raised oscular area with numerous, evenly distributed openings. The lower part under the flattened summit including the widely spread base, is smooth. Specimens are approximately 4 to 6 cm high and 5 to 7 cm wide.

Colour

Beige in etoh. Oscules

Numerous raised oscula are scattered over the flattened upper summit of the sponge surface. The oscula on the surface of the choanosomal skeleton are up to 1.7 mm diameter. Canal openings of the inhalant area (on the surface of the choanosomal skeleton) are 237-279 µm diameter.

Texture

Hard, stony. Surface ornamentation

Predominantly smooth, but papillate with visible drainage canals.

Ectosomal skeleton

Tangential layer of acanthostrongyles.

Choanosomal skeleton

Relatively dense skeleton consists of spinose rhizoclones which form a very regular choanosomal skeleton.

Megascleres

Desmas extremely spinose rhizoclone, with long and pointed rays: 180-280 µm/15-20 µm.

Strongyles and tylostyles: 240-463 × 8.8-14.6 µm. Strongyles and tylostyles are straight or curved with spined to smooth heads and tips.

Microscleres

None.

REMARKS

The present specimens are larger than the holotype, with larger oscules, but otherwise conform perfectly to the original material. The species closely resembles Aciculites higginsi Schmidt, 1879 , from the Caribbean, in general form, as noted previously by Van Soest F Stentoft (1988), but is less regular and flatter. Desmas of this species differ in having long and pointed spines, as compared with desmas of A. higginsi which have short and blunt spines. The styles and tylostyles of A. orientalis are larger, less curved and have, on average, less pronounced heads than in A. higginsi . It differs from A. papillata Lévi F Lévi, 1983 , known from the same area, in lacking papillae, and in size and morphology of ectosomal strongyles and tylostyles (strongyles and tylostyles are slightly larger, are less spinose, and have more pronounced heads in A. orientalis ). Two other species of Aciculites are also recorded for this region (Lévi F Lévi 1983), A. oxytylota Lévi F Lévi, 1983 and A. papillata Lévi F Lévi, 1983 ( Table 2).

Figures

FIG. 2. — A, Aciculites orientalis Dendy, 1905; B, Scleritoderma sp.; C, S. camusi Lévi & Lévi, 1983; D, S. flabelliforme Sollas, 1888; E, Corallistes australis n. sp.; F, Herengeria vasiformis n. sp.; G, H. auriculata Lévi & Lévi, 1988. Scale bars: 1 cm.

FIG. 5. — Aciculites orientalis Dendy, 1905; A, outer surface of the choanosomal skeleton with canal openings leading to oscules; B, C, outer surface of the choanosomal skeleton from inhalating area; D, E, details of choanosomal skeleton of rhizoclones; F, details of articulation between rhizoclone choanosomal desmas. Scale bars: A, 2 mm; B, 1 mm; C, 500 µm; D, E, 200 µm; F, 100 µm.

FIG. 21. — A-D, Aciculites orientalis Dendy, 1905; A-C, heads of strongyles; D, strongyles; E, F, Scleritoderma sp.; E, heads of strongyles; F, strongyles. Scale bars: A-C, F, 10 µm; D, 100 µm; E, 5 µm.