Lithobubaris Vacelet, 1969

Van Soest, Rob W. M. & Hajdu, Eduardo, 2000, New species of Desmanthus (Porifera, Demospongiae) with a discussion of its ordinal relationships, Zoosystema 22 (2), pp. 299-312 : 308-310

Genus Lithobubaris Vacelet, 1969

DIAGNOSIS. — Desmanthidae (?) with large, stout styles (over 1000 µm long) and interlocked basal mass of desmas. Desmas monocrepid with special styleencircling branches.

Lithobubaris tenens Vacelet, 1969 ( Fig. 3A )

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Holotype, Cassidaigne, 250 m ( MNHN DJV 7 ).

DISTRIBUTION. — Western Mediterranean, encrusting corals at 250 m.

DESCRIPTION

Thin, small, circular crusts of 1-2 cm diameter, whitish in alcohol. Protruding styles make the surface look hairy.

Skeleton

A basal crust of monocrepid desmas of 300 µm thickness, difficult to separate from the substrate. Styles long and robust, their heads encircled by the branches of the desmas (arrows in Fig. 3A ).

Spicules

Apparently monocrepid desmas with outgrowths proliferated to form circular holes, smooth but provided with tubercles and swellings, dimensions: 200-300 µm in diameter with branches 15- 35 µm in thickness. Styles: long straight or curved at the blunt end, robust, dimensions: 1250-3000 × 45-60 µm.

REMARKS

The species was recorded also from the Caribbean (Van Soest & Stentoft 1988), but spicule sizes in this specimen differ so much that conspecificity is now judged to be unlikely. Accordingly, this material is described as a new species below.

Figures

FIG. 3. — A, Lithobubaris tenens, from type specimen MNHN DJV 7, styles encircled by desmas (arrows); B-C, Lithobubaris leviorum n. sp., from holotype; B, broken desma showing tuberculated surface and hole in which style head is lodged; C,detail of desma hole; D, Monocrepidium vermiculatum, overview of surface and basal mass of vermiform spicules. Photo J. Vacelet. Scale bars: A, B, D, 100 µm; C, 10 µm.