Cladorhiza penniformis, Göcke, Christian & Janussen, Dorte, 2013

Göcke, Christian & Janussen, Dorte, 2013, Demospongiae of ANT XXIV / 2 (SYSTCO I) Expedition — Antarctic Eastern Weddell Sea, Zootaxa 3692 (1), pp. 28-101 : 63-65

Cladorhiza penniformis sp. nov.

( Fig. 12 , Tab. 8 )

Material. 2 specimens from station 033-14 (SMF 11751 (holotype), SMF 11855 (paratype )), 5338.1 m, 62° 0.64' S, 2° 59.33' W, 30.12.2007.

Diagnosis. A delicate, feather-like sponge with a thin main axis and even thinner lateral filaments attached at right angles. The axis and filaments are cored by thick tracts of densely packed styles, surrounded by tissue including large amounts of microscleres. Styles 612.5– 1375 x 13–23 µm, anchorate anisochelae 19–25 µm, sigmas 42.5–115 x 12.5–37.5 µm. Spicule size are highly variable.

Description. Shape feather-like ( Fig. 12 A), with a central axis about 2 mm in diameter and slightly flattened. In major part only one side of axis with very thin filaments attached, horizontally protruding in an almost right angle. Outer edges of central axis with filaments assembled in vertically oriented rows. In centre of axis further filaments attached occuring less organized, only scarcely arranged in rows. Other side of main body smooth, bare of any outgrowths. In upper 20 mm, this scheme is lacking, filaments seem to be growing rather disorganized on all sides of main axis, forming only weak rows. Diameter of the filaments about 0.1 mm, their lengths average 8 to 10 mm. Holotype about 110 mm long, paratype of similar size. Colour alive and in alcohol white, with filaments being partly slightly brownish. Growth probably upright, but no fixation or rooting site preserved, so information about how this sponge is fixed to the ground cannot be given.

Skeleton: Skeleton ( Fig. 12 B) of main axis consisting of several strongly condensed tracts of styles. Tracts mainly forming core of main axis, they are surrounded by a small amount of tissue. Filaments cored by tracts of styles, about 5 spicules in medium width. At connections of filaments to main axis, spicule tracts tend to fan out, so that filaments get broader and more stable connection to main body. Core of very dense spicule tracts surrounded by thin layers of tissue containing large numbers of microscleres. Echinating chelae, with one hooked end extended above the surface, especially abundant in filaments.

Spiculation: Spicules showing considerable size variation ( Tab. 8 ) within and among specimens. Description of holotype (paratype, see Tab. 8 ). Megascleres straight styles ( Fig. 12 C–E) of 612.5–1375 (mean 972.1) x 13–23 (mean 17.1) µm. Microscleres anchorate anisochelae and c-shaped sigmas. Anchorate anisochelae ( Fig. 12 G-J) with small ending with three very weak teeth and five strong teeth opposite on the large side. Shaft of chelae curved. Chelae 19–25 (mean 22) µm in length. C-shaped sigmas ( Fig. 12 F) 42.5–115 (mean 80.3) in length, with a total width of 12.5–37.5 (mean 31.9) µm. Sigmas seem to be subdivided into two size classes, one about 45 µm in length and one about 100 µm, the split being weak though and differentiation has to remain unfinalized at this point.

parameter SMF 11751 holotype SMF 11855 (paratype) Cladorhiza Cladorhiza

moruliformis rectangularis

Style

Etymology. Penna = feather, formis = shaped; for the feather-like shape of the sponge.

Remarks. Of all Antarctic species of Cladorhiza , the one that shows the most similarities to our new species is Cladorhiza moruliformis Ridley & Dendy, 1886 , which shows generally similar spiculation in similar sizes, although most spicules are slightly larger than in our specimens. A major difference still occurs concerning the shape: Ridley and Dendy (1887) report a body plan with a massive rounded head-like structure bearing conules and a stalk, thus differing significantly from our thin featherlike sponges. Furthermore, C. moruliformis is reported to have chelae with three alae on each side, whereas our sponges clearly have three teeth on one side and five on the other. Much resemblance can be found also to the pacific species Cladorhiza rectangularis Ridley & Dendy, 1886 , which was originally described as a subspecies of C. abyssicola Sars, 1872 . It has spicules that are in size and generally also in shape very similar to those of our new specimens ( Tab. 8 , see also Ridley & Dendy, 1887). Also the shape is very much like that of our new sponges, being feather-like with a central axis and lateral filaments. Some few key differences though convinced us of the identity of our specimens as a new species differing significantly from C. rectangularis . First, the distribution has to be considered, C. rectangularis was originally described from the central Pacific, further records are from the Russian pacific waters (Koltun 1959), regions far away from the Antarctic Weddell Sea, which is located in the southern edge of the Atlantic ocean. Furthermore, in the shape of the sponges, a distinct difference can be found, as C. rectangularis is reported to have filaments in four vertical rows at four edges of the main axis, being thus oriented all around the sponge. Our specimens instead have one side bearing filaments and the other side with two distinct rows with further less organized filaments between them. Furthermore, a difference has to be assumed in the anatomy of chelae between the species. Ridley and Dendy (1887) did not figure the chelae, but reported them to be almost exactly like those illustrated by Sars (1872) from Cladorhiza abyssicola Sars, 1872 . Those chelae clearly have three teeth on each side, while the chelae in our sponges have three teeth on the smaller side, but five teeth on the larger end.

Figures

FIGURE 12. Cladorhiza penniformis sp. nov. (holotype, SMF 11751). A, habit alive ex situ. B, skeletal section, main axis running horizontally, filament oriented upward. C – E, style with details. F, sigma. G – J, anchorate anisochelae in different angles, J probably a juvenile specimen. Scale bars: A: 20 mm, B: 1 mm, C: 100 µm D – E: 30 µm, F: 20 µm, G – J: 5 µm.

Tables

TABLE 8. Spicule sizes of Cladorhiza penniformis sp. nov. Values in µm are given as follows: minimum – mean – maximum (number of spicules measured). For comparison, values of C. moruliformis and C. rectangularis (from Ridley & Dendy 1887) are given.

length	612.5–972.1–1375 (30)	1000–1421.7–1775 (30)	>2000	<2000
diameter	13–17.1–23 (30)	14.5–23.1–31 (30)	50	19
Anchorate Anisochelae
length	19–22–25 (30)	22–25.2–27 (30)	63	25
Sigma
length	42.5–80.3–115 (30)	42.5–86.1–120 (30)	35	130
max. width	12.5–31.9–37.5 (30)	15–31.9–57.5 (30)