Pleraplysilla sp. nov. 2

Diaz, Maria Cristina, Nuttall, Marissa, Pomponi, Shirley A., Ruetzler, Klaus, Klontz, Sarah, Adams, Christi, Hickerson, Emma L. & Schmahl, G. P., 2023, An annotated and illustrated identification guide to common mesophotic reef sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha) inhabiting Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and vicinities, ZooKeys 1161, pp. 1-68 : 1

Pleraplysilla sp. nov. 2

Fig. 56

Diagnostic features.

Massive bushy, 5 cm wide, 7 cm high. Tan in color alive. Sharp conules, 2-3 mm high, separated by 3-5 mm. The sponge is compressible but firm. The sponge has dendritic fibers, pale in color, which incorporate broken spicules. This sponge is currently identified as an undescribed species of Pleraplysilla . 28S analysis of this specimen clearly places it within the Order Dictyoceratida , but not within the Family Dysideidae . 18S analysis places it as 99.5% similar to Pleraplysilla spinifera , the type of the genus; however, that is an eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean species. This result supports the generic assignation of this new species from GOM (Diaz, Segura, and Pomponi, unpublished data).

Similar species.

Its massive habit is similar to that of the shallow Caribbean mangrove species Pleraplysilla stocki , and to Pleraplysilla spinifera from the Mediterranean.

Distribution and abundance.

The species has been collected once from FGBNMS, and once from Pulley Ridge, at the southeast GOM (MCD).

Ecology.

Coralline algal reef.

Identification.

Iris Segura, MCD.

Reference.

van Soest 1978.

Figures

Figure 56. Pleraplysilla sp. 2, 47 m deep. Sample GFOE 3 - 19.