Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia ( Bowerbank, 1875 )

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

Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia ( Bowerbank, 1875)

Fig. 9 a, d, e

Diagnostic features.

Small specimen (l × w × h; 46 × 34 × 30 mm) and fragile, found growing in turbid water near the coastal city of Makassar. Massive shape with large oscula (3–4 mm in diameter). Color in life deep blue and pale white in alcohol. The choanosomal skeleton is paucispicular tracts. Spicules are oxeas, larger oxeas 163.9–196.2 (163.9) × 7–9.9 (8) µm (n = 20) and thin oxeas 92–156.1 (127.5) × 0.8–5.7 (3) µm (n = 26). Microscleres are sigmas. The subgenus Haliclona (Soestella) consists of 25 species, and only Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia is registered from the marine ecoregions of Indonesia ( Putra et al. 2023). This species is poorly studied; in fact, we have found no studies after its original description. Bowerbank’s description did not include an illustration, but the specimen was described as of small appearance and small spicules (short and stout) with fragile and elegant uni-, bi-, and tri-spiculous reticulation on the dermal structure ( Bowerbank 1875: 286).

Distribution and ecology.

Previously recorded from Malacca Strait ( Bowerbank 1875). This is the first record for the Spermonde Archipelago (at Kayangan Island, and Gusung Tallang Island; turbid environment).

Figures

Figure 9. Habitus in situ a Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia (Bowerbank, 1875) at Kayangan Island, the Spermonde Archipelago b Haliclona (Soestella) sp. 1. at Samalona Island, the Spermonde Archipelago c Haliclona (Soestella) sp. 2. at Samalona Island, the Spermonde Archipelago (all photographs by SAP) d two sizes of oxeas and sigmas of Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia e Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia spicules reticulation f Haliclona (Soestella) sp. 2. spicule reticulation.