Psammopemma durissima var. grisea Hentschel, 1912

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 73

Psammopemma durissima var. grisea Hentschel, 1912

Psammopemma durissimum var. grisea Hentschel, 1912: 447 (no illustration); Barnich & Janussen 2006: 134.

Pseudoceratina durissima grisea ; Hooper et al. 2000: 181 (listed only).

The variety was described by Hentschel from the Jin Island, Aru Islands, Indonesia, 6.8502°S 134.6919°E, (7 syntype fragments SMF 908) and from Karang, Aru Islands, 7.0167°S 134.6765°E, depths not reported (3 syntype fragments, SMF 1577). No previous authors have discussed this variety, other than two listings of Hooper et al. (2000) and Barnich & Janussen (2006). The habitus consists of flat plates with lobate or finger-shaped projections on the upper sides. Surface smooth. Skeleton of sand grains. The typical variety for this was assumed to be Pseudoceratina durissima Carter (1885a: 204 , from Port Phillips Heads, Victoria, approximate coordinates 38.15°S 144.8667°E, holotype BMNH 1883.4.12.48), but the description of the present variety is very different and not likely that of a member of Pseudoceratinidae (cf. Bergquist & Cook 2002: 1087). No mention is made by Hentschel of the peculiar fibers and characteristic pigment change from dull yellow to dark purple of P. durissima . Hooper et al. ’s (2000) listing as Pseudoceratina thus appears wrong. The description reminds of Lamellodysidea Cook & Bergquist, 2002: 1064 , but without re-examination this remains unproven. Clearly, the material cannot be assigned to Pseudoceratina durissima , and thus the variety becomes a separate taxon of the species group for the time being to be named Psammoclema griseum ( Hentschel, 1912) because Psammopemma Marshall, 1880 is a junior synonym of Psammoclema Marshall, 1880: 109 . Its identity remains a taxon inquirendum.