Levantiniella levantiniensis ( Vacelet et al., 2007 )

Carella, Mirco & Uriz, Maria J., 2018, Description of two new genera (Antarctotetilla, Levantiniella) and a new species of Tetillidae, Zootaxa 4455 (2), pp. 295-321 : 298-301

Levantiniella levantiniensis ( Vacelet et al., 2007)

Species type. Cinachyrella levantinensis Vacelet et al., 2007 by monotypy.

Synonymy: Cinachyra cavernosa ( Lamarck, 1815 sensu Tsurnamal, 1969 ); Chrotella cavernosa sensu Tsurnamal, 1969 ; Cinachyra australiensis sensu Burton, 1936 .

Material examined: Paratype of Cinachyrella levantinensis MNHN-DJV 97 Vacelet et al., 2007, Ras El Bayada, Lebanon, 33°9.969'N 35°10.853'E, 6 m depth, 12 July 2003 ; three individuals (registration number: 06-07-2003- 1 _SLT_001), Selaata, Lebanon, 34°17' 17 N, 35°39'54 E, 20 m depth, 0 6 July 2003 and six individuals (registration number: 11-07-2003-2 _JNE_001), Jounieh, Lebanon, 34°01' 46 N, 35° 37' 18 E, 15 m depth, 11 July 2003 .

GenBank accession numbers ( Szitenberg et al. 2013): TAU 25529 ( JX177906 and JX177970 ), TAU 25568 ( JX177904 and JX177969 ), MHNM 16194 ( JX177905 and HM629803 ), DH S124 ( JX177903 ) and TAU 25456 ( HM629802 ).

Description ( Fig.2 ). The species morphology matches the genus diagnosis: globular sponges directly attached to the substrate. The sponges measure 2–3 cm in diameter ( Fig. 2a ). Small, rounded, shallow depressions at the sponge surface covered by sand ( Fig. 2b ). Color yellow in life, brown-cream in alcohol. Transversal sections allow observing a dense ectosomal layer, which resembles a cortex, but that it is made of sediment ( Fig. 2c ). In the outer part of the choanosome, many carbonate-made debris are discernible.

Spicules ( Fig. 3 ; Table2). Megascleres: oxeas ( Fig. 3a ) large and fusiform: 380–3250.4–5300 µm x 7.5–28–50 µm. Anatriaenes ( Fig. 3e–f ) with long, slender, or reduced to a knob clades: 20–57–110 µm; fusiform rhabdomes, progressively attenuated to a filiform termination: 1900–3633.8–5520 µm x 5–9–15 µm. Protriaenes, sometimes prodiaenes ( Fig. 3b–c ), clades: 12.5–47.5–105 µm; rhabdomes thin and often flexuous: 1600–2763.3–7140 µm x 2.5–6.9–12.5 µm. Microscleres: sigmaspires ( Fig. 3g ): 10–12.7–15 µm, and spined microxeas ( Fig. 3d–g ): 55– 96.6–200 µm x 1.25–2.5–5 µm.

Skeletal arrangement. Skeleton mainly formed by large fusiform oxeas often accompanied by protriaenes, prodiaenes, and anatriaenes grouped in bundles, which run spirally from the central part of the sponge towards the surface. Large oxeas are the most abundant spicule type and are responsible for the surface hispidation. Microxeas and sigmaspires, distributed everywhere but mainly concentrated around the choanosome canals.

Distribution and habitat. Shallow waters, between 6 and 35 meters depth, of South-eastern Mediterranean Sea (Lebanese coast). Rocky substrates ( Vacelet et al. 2007; Szitenberg et al. 2013).

Remarks. The presence of pores in the small, shallow depressions on the sponge surface were interpreted by Vacelet et al. (2007) as a kind of shallow porocalices but this could not be confirmed here in the paratype examined, because of the hard sandy layer that cover the sponge surface.

However, the other specimens examined (three individuals from Selaata, Lebanon (06-07-2003-1 _SLT_001) and six individuals from Jounieh, ( Lebanon 11-07-2003-2 _JNE_001), presented the small, rounded, shallow depressions at the sponge surface, which resembled porocalices.

The two specimens of C. australiensis ( Carter, 1886) from Alexandria reexamined showed similar spicule features to Levantiniella levantinensis ( Vacelet, 2007) . However, the small pieces of the Carter’ samples available did not allow us finding anatriaenes, not to observe the external morphological features.

Museum codes Large fusiform Auxiliary

/Voucher numbers oxeas oxeas Anatriaenes 1 Anatriaenes 2 Anatriaenes 3

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* Type species: ¹ from Sollas, 1886; ² from Kirkpatrick, 1908 var. microsigma and var. pachyrrhabdus ; ³ from Lendenfeld, 1907

Figures

FIGURE 2. A. Underwater picture of Levantiniella levantinensis from the shore of Maagan Michael, Israel (courtesy of Micha Ilan, Tel Aviv University). B. Interior of L. levantinensis, arrows point to a canal. C. Transversal section of L. levantinensis (from Carella et al. 2016).

FIGURE 3. Spicules of Levantiniella levantinensis (six individuals from Selaata and three individuals from Jounieh, Lebanon). A. Terminal part of a large fusiform oxea. B. Protodiaene. C. Protriaene. D. Spiny microxeas. E, F. Anatriaenes. G. Microxeas and sigmaspires.