Smenospongia aspera, Kim & Sim, 2020

Kim, Young A & Sim, Kyung Jin Lee and Chung Ja, 2020, Seven new species of two genera Scalarispongia and Smenospongia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Thorectidae) from Korea, Journal of Species Research 9 (2), pp. 147-161 : 154

6. Smenospongia aspera n. sp. ( Figs. 8 , 9 )

Ąṻċḑƚḓậ (ljÿ)

Type specimen. Holotype (NIBRIV0000862773), Korea: Jakeunganyeo, Gageodo-ri, Heuksan-myeon , Sinan-gun , Jeollanam-do, 26 Jun 2000, collected by H. J. Kim and K. J. Lee, by SCUBA, depth 15 m, rocky substrate, deposit- ed at NIBR.

Description. Round mass sponge, size up to 7 × 7 × 5.5 cm. Surface rough with thick conules which made groove and covered with thick membrane. Skeletal fibres easily separated from ectodermal matrix because of very simple secondary fibres structure. Several oscules, 1-4 mm in diameter, open on top of sponge. Color in life gray turns to dark brown. Texture firm and compressible.

Skeleton: Primary fibres with three-dimensional arrangement, 100-250 μm in diameter. Secondary fibres, 40-100 μm in diameter, long bridge type ( Fig. 8D, F ) and partly web type between primary fibres ( Fig. 8C, G, H ).

Etymology. This species name, aspera , is named after its rough surface.

Remarks. This new species is similar to Smenospongia coreana Lee and Sim, 2005 ( Fig. 11 ) in sponge shape but differs in surface and skeletal structure. Secondary fibres of Sm. coreana has rather complex mesh throughout the sponge but this new species has secondary mesh at near surface conules.

Figures

Fig. 8. Smenospongia aspera n. sp. A, external morphology; B, surface close up; C, skeletal structure near conules and web type secondary fibres; D, skeletal structure; E, cored primary fibres; F, bridged secondary fibres; G, H, secondary web. Scale bars: A=1 cm, B=0.1 cm, C=200 μm, D-H =100 μm.

Fig. 9. Smenospongia aspera n. sp. A, skeletal structure near conules; B, bridged thin secondary fibres; C, bridged thick secondary fibres; D, spined primary fibres and bridged thin secondary fibres; E, primary fibres; F, skeletal structure under the dissecting microscope. Scale bars: A=200 μm, B-E=100 μm, F=500 μm.

Fig. 11. Smenospongia coreana Lee and Sim, 2005.A, external morphology; B, surface close up; C, D, skeletal structure near conules; E-G, net form mesh secondary fibres between primary fibres; H, skeletal structure under the dissecting microscope. Scale bars:A=2 cm, B=0.2 cm, C, D =200 μm, E-G=100μm, H=500 μm.