Ircinia jejuensis, Sim & Lee & Kim, 2016

Sim, Chung Ja, Lee, Kyung Jin & Kim, Hyung June, 2016, Nine new species of genus Ircinia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Irciniidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 5 (3), pp. 483-497 : 488-491

7. Ircinia jejuensis n. sp. ( Figs. 9 , 10 )

Type specimen. Holotype (NIBRIV0000554226), Korea: Mureungachi, Daejeong­eup, Seogwipo­si , Jeju­do, 17 Aug 2015, Moon SE, by SCUBA, Depth 20 m, deposited in the NIBR.

Description. Large round mass, size up to 22 × 16 × 7 cm. Surface with low branched conules covered with filamentous membrane. Oscules, 1­5 mm in diameter, opened at sponge surface. Colour in life dark gray. Texture soft and compressible. Choanosome lacunose.

Skeleton: Primary fibres, 150-300 μm, 650-700 μm in diameter. Primary fibres near surface conules cored with spicules slightly. Primary fibres at base of sponge cored with large sands, 150­300 μm in diameter, and small sands, below 50 μm in diameter ( Fig. 7I, J ). In secondary fibres, net-like secondary web in conules, 650 μm in diameter, loosely arranged, and simple bridged secondary fibres, 250-350 μm in diameter, have root-like extension. Filaments, 3­5 μm in diameter, terminal knobs, 10 μm in diameter.

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality, Jejudo, Korea.

Remark. This new species is distinguished from other Ircinia species by primary fibres at base of sponge cored with large and small sands.

Figures

Fig. 9. Ircinia jejuensis n. sp. A, entire animal; B, closed surface; C, skeletal structure in conule; D, secondary web between primary fi­ bres cored with spicules; E, uncored primary fibres and secondary fibres; F, perforated secondary fibres. Scale bars: A=4 cm, B=12 cm, C=200μm, D-F=100 μm.

Fig. 10. Ircinia jejuensis n. sp. A, basal part of secondary fibre branch; B, skeletal structure of sponge basement; C, D, primary fibres cored with large and small sands at the base of sponge. Scale bars:A­D=100 μm.

Fig. 7. Ircinia munsumensis n. sp. A, entire animal; B, closed surface; C, skeletal structure near surface; D, secondary web between cored primary fibres; E, choanosome skeletal structure; F, choanosome thick secondary fibres. Scale bars: A=2 cm, B=10 cm, C=200 μm, D­F=100 μm.