Clathria (Thalysias) reinwardti Vosmaer, 1880

Putra, Singgih Afifa, Ambo-Rappe, Rohani, Jompa, Jamaluddin & de Voogd, Nicole J., 2024, Preliminary study of marine sponges (Porifera) in the littoral of Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia, ZooKeys 1208, pp. 275-313 : 275-313

Clathria (Thalysias) reinwardti Vosmaer, 1880

Fig. 15

Diagnostic features.

Arborescent, simple massive, and very repent appearance with many small oscula. Bright to dark orange in living material, and brown in alcohol. Reticulate skeleton with two class sizes of styles and echinating acanthostyles. Principal styles slightly curved with strongylote point, 151–312 (205.5) × 5.3–10.85 (7.4) µm (n = 28), auxiliary styles straight and slightly curved, 72–163 (106.5) × 1.5–4.7 (3.4) µm (n = 37), and echinating acanthostyles with short, rounded point and dense spines on point and base, 51.9–81.5 (67.1) × 6.2–8.7 (7.3) µm (n = 31). This species can be differentiated from other similar Thalysias by its characteristic acanthostyle morphology, growth form, and the size and geometry of its toxas, including ectosomal-subectosomal features ( Hooper 1996). Hooper’s (1996) specimen shows microscleres as palmate isochelae in two size classes and oxhorn toxas.

Distribution and ecology.

Central Indian Ocean ( Thomas 1986), Indo-Pacific ( van Soest 1990; Lim et al. 2016), and Australia ( Hooper 1996). Commonly found in coral rubble or dead coral and hard substrates. Our specimen was found in the Spermonde Archipelago, the north-west of Samalona Island; reef flat and Gusung Tallang; turbid reef.

Figures

Figure 15. Clathria (Thalysias) reinwardti Vosmaer, 1880 a habitus in situ at Samalona Island, the Spermonde Archipelago (photograph by SAP) b longitudinal section of the skeleton c styles d acanthostyles.