Goreauiella auriculata Hartman, 1969

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 : 78-79

Goreauiella auriculata Hartman, 1969

( Figure 38)

Synonymy and references. Goreauilla auriculata Hartman, 1969: 17 , figs. 10–12.

Material. No specimen was collected but the characteristic spicules were found inside neighboring sponges. Occurs closely associated with Timea oxyasterina ( USNM 1228987) from Curlew Bank, forereef slope, small cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni, col. 28 Jun 2007. Also in Mycale (Grapelia) unguifera ( USNM 1229067), Curlew Bank forereef slope, small cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni and M. Parrish col. 23 Aug 2012.

A few actual specimens were observed by our colleague Philippe Willenz (Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, Bruxelles, Belgium) during a survey of small forereef caves between South Water Cay and Curlew Bank, 24–39 m, in Apr 1987; all occurred in deep, inaccessible cave parts and could not be collected for Museum deposit.

External morphology. This is a hypercalcified sponge (“sclerosponge”), with calcareous (aragonitic) base skeleton covered by a very thin veneer of soft, yellow tissue containing siliceous spicules.

Skeleton structure. Not observed.

Spicules. Very characteristic, verticillate acanthostrongyles, gently or (once) sharply bent: 120–350 x 11–30 (244 x 22) Μm overall dimensions; shafts measure 5–12 (9) µm, spines are 2–8 (6) µm tall.

Ecology. Occurs in dark parts of forereef framework caves forereef caves, 20–39 m; elsewhere reported from caves and deep forereef bottoms at 8– 70 m.

Distribution. Caribbean.

Comments. The spicule dimensions we measured are more than double those given for the type material but their appearance is identical. We hope to recover whole specimens for further study.