Spongia compactella De Laubenfels, 1948

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 23

Spongia compactella De Laubenfels, 1948

( Fig. 2E )

Euspongia compacta Carter, 1882b: 106 (no illustration).

Spongia compactella De Laubenfels, 1948: 18 .

Leiosella caliculata ; Wiedenmayer 1989: 131; Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: 386.

This species name was erected by De Laubenfels (1948: 18) as a nomen novum for the preoccupied Euspongia compacta Carter, 1882b collected near Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia, approximate coordinates 38.383°S 142.25°E) (dried lectotype BMNH 1877.5.21.1899, fide Hooper & Wiedenmayer, 1994: 386), which became a junior secondary homonym of Spongia compacta Sowerby, 1806: 85 , currently Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea ( Pallas, 1766) . Von Lendenfeld (1889: 210, pl. 13 fig. 7, here reproduced in Fig. 2E ) reassigned the previously recorded E. compacta Carter ( Von Lendenfeld, 1886: 593) to his genus Leiosella along with eight other species, including Leiosella caliculata Von Lendenfeld, 1889: 221 (also spelled calyculata). Subsequently, Wiedenmayer (1989: 130–132) assigned E. compacta , Leiosella compacta , and Spongia compactella to the synonymy of Leiosella caliculata , despite the seniority of Carter’s (1882b) compacta , on the grounds that a junior homonym must be replaced. However, this is not according to ICZN art. 59.3 which addresses ‘secondary homonyms replaced before 1961 but no longer considered congeneric’. If the relevant taxa are no longer considered congeneric the junior homonym is not to be rejected on grounds of this replacement. This would plead for the name Leiosella compacta ( Carter, 1882b) to be reinstated as the senior synonym of Leiosella caliculata Von Lendenfeld, 1889 . However, for this reinstatement to be effected, the replacement name must not be currently in use. Through Wiedenmayer’s (1989) listing of the name Spongia compactella the condition of ‘not in use’ is violated and I conclude that Leiosella caliculata Von Lendenfeld, 1889 must remain the accepted name.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Spongia dubia Hyatt, 1877: pl. 17 fig. 9, B–C. Spongelia dubia var. excavata Hyatt, 1877: pl. 17 figs. 10–11, D. Spongelia spinosa Hyatt, 1877: pl. 16 fig. 32, E. Leiosella compacta Von Lendenfeld, 1889: pl. 13 fig. 7, F–H, Spongia (Spongia) obscura Wiedenmayer, 1977, F. habitus in situ pl. 3 fig. 1, G. dried habitus, pl. 3 fig. 2, H. skeleton pl. 3 fig. 3, I. Cacospongia linteiformis sensu Topsent, 1933: pl. I fig. 8, J. Spongia linteiformis Esper, 1797: pl. LVIII, figs. 1–2.