Acanthella aculeata var. inconspicua Thiele, 1898

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 51

Acanthella aculeata var. inconspicua Thiele, 1898

( Fig. 5C )

Acanthella aculeata var. inconspicua Thiele, 1898: 54 , pl. III fig. 6, pl. V fig. 19, pl. VIII figs. 36a–b.

The variety was described by Thiele for the smaller of two type specimens of Acanthella aculeata Thiele, 1898 from the same general locality at Enoshima, Sagami Bay, Japan, approximate coordinates 35.2833°N 139.45°E, collected by Hilgendorf. The Berlin museum catalogue lists only the holotype of the variety inconspicua (ZMB 2174); the larger specimen, presumably the holotype of the typical variety aculeata, also described by Thiele, is so far unidentified. Both varieties are listed in the Taxonomic Review of Japanese Sponges ( Ise 2017: 366). The varieties are represented by drawings in Thiele’s work and look similar in shape, but the var. inconspicua is smaller and more spiny. The smaller specimen ( var. inconspicua ) has longer styles (550–1250 µm) than those of the larger specimen (200–750 µm). In view of the similarity in shape, large size range of the overlapping styles, and the sympatric occurrence I can see no compelling reason to maintain the varieties as distinct taxa. I propose to consider the var. inconspicua a junior synonym of the species Acanthella aculeata Thiele, 1898 .

Figures

FIGURE 5. A. Axinella profunda var. kurushima Tanita, 1961: pl. IV fig. 14, B. Raspailia fruticosa var. tenuiramosa Dendy, 1905: pl. VIII fig. 5, C. Acanthella aculeata var. inconspicua Thiele, 1898: 54, pl. III fig. 6, D. Hymeraphia geniculata Topsent, 1892: 115, pl. I fig. 13, E–F. Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967, E. habitus pl. XVIII fig. 3, F. spicules text-fig. 13, G–H. Craniella cranium f. microspira Lévi, 1967, G. habitus pl. XIX fig. 2, H. spicules text-fig. 19, I. Craniella globosa var. anamonaena Tanita, 1968: text-fig. 15, J. Discodermia emarginata var. lamellaris Wilson, 1925: pl. 43 fig. 5, K. Geodia ataxastra var. angustana Von Lendenfeld, 1910: pl. 44 fig. 25, L. Geodia hilgendorfi var. granosa Thiele, 1898: pl. VI figs. 4i–k, M. Geodia japonica var. spherulifera Wilson, 1925: pl. 38 fig. 1, N. Geodia megastrella var. laevispina Carter, 1876: pl. XVI fig. 47.