Axinella corrugata ( George & Wilson, 1919 )

Ugalde, Diana, Gómez, Patricia & Simões, Nuno, 2015, Marine sponges (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Gulf of México, new records and redescription of Erylus trisphaerus (de Laubenfels, 1953), Zootaxa 3911 (2), pp. 151-183 : 169-170

Axinella corrugata ( George & Wilson, 1919)

( Fig. 14 A–C)

Selected synonymy: Acanthella corrugata George & Wilson, 1919:161 . Teichaxinella burtoni ; Zea 1987:192.

Axinella corrugata ; Alvarez et al. 199810; Alcolado 2002: 62.

Non: Axinella morchella Wiedenmayer, 1977:154 ; Alcolado 2002:62 (valid species)

Material examined. CNPGG –1406 Sisal Banks reefs (21°26'22.29” N 90° 28' 25.392” W) depth 12 m, 13/VI/ 2011.

Description. Flabellate shaped sponge supported by a small peduncle ( Fig. 14 A), 11 cm in total height, 4.8 cm widest flabellate part, and 12 by 14 mm peduncle size. The surface is distinguished by irregular ridges radiating longitudinally, giving a corrugate aspect. The ridges are microhispid on top, but smooth on lateral parts and bottom.

Oscules in between the ridges are round to oval 1.5–3 mm wide. Its consistency is slightly compressible but firm. A thin whitish dermis covers the body, which is lost in places. Its color is bright orange when alive, and turns to light orange or light brown in alcohol.

Skeleton. It is a vague reticulation arranged in an axial trend by an aggregate of tracts cored by few spicules and ending in short plumose tracts ( Fig.14 B). Spicules outline round meshes, variable in size, 50–150 µm in diameter. Ascending fibres 50–110 µm in diameter not cored or cored by 1–7 spicules, and connective fibres not cored, 18–40 µm in diameter, in addition spongin plates are present.

Spicules. Straight and slightly curved styles 245–640 × 7–10 µm ( Fig.14 C 1–4), and slightly curved or bent oxeas and strongyloxeas with stepped ends 210–360 × 5–7 µm ( Fig. 14 C–5).

Distribution and ecology. Bahamas, North Carolina, Florida, Dominican Republic, Curaçao, Colombia, Venezuela, in rock and coral reef bottoms, found at depths from 9 to 71 m ( Alvarez et al. 1998); Cuba (Alcolado 2002). The studied specimen inhabits coral rubble at 12 m depth. This is the first record for the southern Gulf of Mexico and Mexican coast.

Remarks. Axinella corrugata has variable bushy morphotypes with long or short peduncle, and trilobed, flabellate or undulating lamellas or branches ( Alvarez et al. 1998), one of which is part of the present material. The skeleton of our material also corresponds to the characteristics described in Alvarez et al. (1998). However, A. corrugata is different from A. morchella Wiedenmayer (1977) , in agreement with Alcolado (2002), considering that the latter has smaller spicules (240–380 × 5–15 µm) with hastate, conical or blunt ends, instead of mammiform and stepped ends in the former, with spicule measurements 202–471 × 7.1–18 µm ( Alvarez et al. (1998), 351–851 × 6.7–27 µm ( Zea 1987 as Teichaxinella burtoni ), and 400–700 × 4–20 µm ( George & Wilson 1919). A. corrugata ’s surface is microhispid on top of ridges, plush at sight, while A. morchella is microhispid also on top of crests or tubercules but tending toward a smooth glossy appearance (Alcolado 2002). Additionally, a different color shows among them, yellow, orange-yellow to red orange in A. corrugata , whilst A. morchella is bright orange.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Axinella corrugata (George & Wilson, 1919): A. Specimen with flabellate habit preserved in alcohol. B. Choanosomal arrangement in an axial trend, round meshes and short plumose tracts. C. Common spicules in LM, styles and oxea with stepped ends.