Igernella notabilis ( Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 )

Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, Zootaxa 3805 (1), pp. 1-129 : 96-97

Igernella notabilis ( Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)

Synonymy and references. Igernella notabilis ( Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) : van Soest (1978): 77, fig. 26, pl. 14: 4; Uriz & Maldonado (1996): 154, fig. 1, 2.

Material. USNM 1229147, Carrie Bow Cay forereef, low spur & groove, lower surface of Agaricia coral rubble, 8–9 m; K. Ruetzler col. 7 May 1973.

External morphology. A crust of 6 cm 2, 5 mm thick, covered by 2 mm tall conules and showing two minute oscular openings. Consistency very soft, color brick red in life, cream in alcohol.

Skeleton. A base layer of spongin supporting dendritic fibers, some of which are interconnected. Sediment particles occur throughout the body, some are incorporated in the fibers. There are numerous spongin spiculoids, mainly triactines with rays, 30–50 µm at the center and lengths of 540–1650 (905) µm.

Ecology. The species is known from reef locations, but not much is known about its habitats; to 20 m. Distribution. Bermuda and Caribbean region.

Comments. Our only specimen from cryptic locations is a juvenile but its skeleton is typical for the species; only the rays of its triradiate spiculoids are a bit longer than described from other material.