Leucaltis clathria, HAECKEL, 1872

Lopes, Matheus Vieira & Klautau, Michelle, 2023, Phylogeny and revision of Leucaltis and Leucettusa (Porifera: Calcarea), with new classification proposals and description of a new type of aquiferous system, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198, pp. 691-746 : 699

LEUCALTIS CLATHRIA HAECKEL, 1872

( FIGS 4, 5; TABLE 1 )

Synonyms: Artynas clathria – Haeckel, 1872: 159. Leucaltis clathria – Haeckel, 1872: 159; Arndt, 1941: 46; Burton, 1963: 598; Borojević & Peixinho, 1976: 1002; Borojević et al., 2002: 1148; Dohrmann et al., 2006: 832; Muricy et al., 2008: 131; Lanna et al., 2009: 13; Muricy et al., 2011: 35; Klautau et al., 2013: 449; Van Soest & De Voogd, 2015: 43; Cóndor-Luján & Klautau, 2016: 232; Van Soest, 2017: 198, Cóndor-Luján et al., 2018: 61; Fontana et al., 2018: 354; Lopes et al., 2018a: 59; 2018b: 139; non Dendy, 1913: 16; Leucetta clathria – Poléjaeff, 1883: 29; Heteropegma nodus gordii – Poléjaeff, 1883: 45 (in part, Bermuda material only); Heteropegma nodus-gordii – Hanitsch, 1895: 209; Amphoriscus nodusgordii – Breitfuss, 1898: 90; Leucaltis sp. – Thacker et al., 2013: 385.

Type specimen: Fragment ( MNHN. LBIM. C 1968.667 ) and slides ( BMNH 1956.4 .26.42) of Haeckel’s specimen used in the original description (holotype) .

Type locality: Florida, United States of America (27°54ʹ N, 80°01ʹ W; inaccurate coordinates). Floridian ecoregion.

Description: Sponge body tubular and repent with some anastomosis ( Fig. 4A, B). The anastomosis is variable; it can be loose and sparse or dense, with tubes closely attached to each other. Tubes are mostly cylindrical, but commonly compressed in few parts, giving the body a folded appearance. Consistency harsh to the touch, relatively firm and friable. Colour white or pink in life and white, beige to light brown or pink after fixation ( Fig. 4A, B). Outer surface smooth. Body wall thin ( Fig. 4C). Atrial cavity wide and spacious. Atrial surface slightly hispid due to the apical actines of cortical and atrial tetractines. Oscula are few, simple circular apertures without ornamentation ( Fig. 5A). The aquiferous system represents the new type, kladonoid, with choanocyte chambers mostly elongated and ramified, commonly these ramifications fuse with each other ( Fig. 4C).

Skeleton: The oscular margin has a transitional skeleton comprised of large sagittal triactines and tetractines, gradually becoming regular as the body wall thickens. Cortical skeleton well developed, with several layers of tangential triactines and tetractines ( Fig. 4D). Choanosomal skeleton reduced, with many regular triactines and tetractines sparse around the canals ( Fig. 4E). Excurrent canals and atrial skeleton comprised of sagittal triactines and tetractines, lying tangentially, with the apical actines pointing into the atrial cavity ( Fig. 4F).