Psammocinia massa, Kim & Sim, 2018

Kim, Young A & Sim, Kyung Jin Lee and Chung Ja, 2018, Psammocinian sponges (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Irciniidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 7 (4), pp. 340-347 : 342

2. Psammocinia massa n. sp. ( Figs. 3 , 4 )

덩어리모래해면 (신칭)

Type specimen. Holotype (NIBRIV0000828224), Korea: Jagenganyeo, Gageodo, Heuksan­myeon , Shinan­gun , Jeollanam-do, 19 Jul 2007, Kim, H.S., by SCUBA, depth 20 m, deposited in the NIBR.

Description. Large mass shape with several low mamillate protruding, size up to 11 × 9 cm (width) and 4.5 cm (height). Surface with low conules, but somewhat not distinct. Thick sand crust mixed with collagen. Oscules, 2­7 mm in diameter, opened on top of protruding mamillate. Colour in life, grayish black. Texture firm and compressible.

Skeleton: Primary fibres, 300-600 μm in diameter, with rarely cored sands partly and it made of thick lump. Wide secondary fibres like plate, 100-400 μm in diameter. Primary fibres, 400 μm in diameter, in choanosome thick but easily breakable. Secondary fibres very clear, with no cored sand. Filaments, 5-7 μm in diameter, and its terminal knobs, 15 μm in diameter.

Etymology. This new species is named, massa , after the lumpy skeletal structure of the sponge.

Remarks. Psammocinia massa is similar to P. gageoensis in thick skeletal structure, but there is a big difference in the shape of the sponge. Primary and secondary fibres of this new species are lumped together in a thick mass through numerous areas. Branched secondary fibres in P. gageoensis have a very complicated fasciculate shape in skeletal structure.

Figures

Fig. 3. Psammocinia massa n. sp. A, entire animal; B, closed surface; C, sand crust; D, E, subdermal skeletal structure; F, wide secondary fibres and primary fibres; G, narrow bridged secondary fibres; H, wide bridged secondary fibres. Scale bars:A=2 cm, B=1 cm, C­H= 100 μm.

Fig. 4. Psammocinia massa n. sp. A, B, choanosome skeletal structure; C, fibres near surface membrane; D, terminal knob (a) and filament emerging from the hole on fibres (b). Scale bars: A-C=100 μm, D=10μm.