Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus, Kim & Kang, 2020

Kim, Hyung June & Kang, Dong Won, 2020, Two New Species of the Genus Haliclona from Korea, Zootaxa 4890 (2), pp. 289-295 : 291

Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus sp. nov.

( Fig. 2 A–G, Table 2)

Material examined. Holotype. Korea, Jeju-do, Seogqipo-si, Daejeong-eup, Ieodo Ocean Research Station , 25 m depth, June 30, 2017, SCUBA, coll. Sang-Hui Lee, MABIK IV00168257 .

Description. Shape ( Fig. 2A ): Thickly encrusting to massive, with slightly elevated oscular rims, 2.5–3 cm in thickness and 8 × 7 cm in width.

Oscula : 0.3–0.7 cm in diameter, scattered on surface.

Colour: Gray in life which gradually changes to dark ivory in alcohol.

Texture: Soft, fragile, and compressible.

Surface: Smooth and even.

Skeleton ( Fig.2 D–G): Ectosomal skeleton, detachable, tangential, unispicular isotropic reticulation of single spicules with spongin. Choanosomal skeleton, isotropic to ladder-like reticulation by unispicular primary lines regularly connected by unispicular secondary lines.

Spicules ( Fig. 2 B–C): Two size categories of oxea, no microscleres. Large oxea 190–230 × 7–15 μm in size. Small oxea 70–100 × 2.5–5 μm in size.

Distribution. Only found in Ieodo Ocean Research Station at depth of 25 m.

Etymology. Named after from the locality, Ieodo Ocean Research Station, Korea.

Remarks. Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus sp. nov. is similar to H. (H.) ieoensis Kim et al. 2017 in shape, habitat, growth form, but it differs in color, ectosomal, choanosomal skeleton and spicule size. The ectosomal skeleton of H. (H.) ieoensis is not specialized. It is reticularly arranged by unispicular oxea. However, ectosomal skeletal structure of H. (R.) oceanus sp. nov. arranged by unispicular isotropic reticulation of single spicules. The size of the oxeas of H. (H.) ieoensis is larger than that of H. (R.) oceanus sp. nov. ( Table 2).

2017.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Haliclona (Reniera) oceanus sp. nov.: (A) Image of the holotype specimen, (B) Large oxea, (C) Small oxea, (D, E) Ectosomal skeletal, (F, G) Choanosomal skeletal.