Pellina longispicula, Czerniavsky, 1880

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 82

Pellina longispicula f. jaltensis Czerniavsky, 1880

Pellina longispicula f. jaltensis Czerniavsky, 1880: 112, pl. II fig. 15a (no illustration).

The forma was described by Czerniavsky from the Sinus Jaltensis, Crimea, approximate coordinates 44.48°N 34.17°E, depth 1–1.5 m (syntypes (dried specimens) ZIN-RAS 11410). The illustration (pl. II fig. 15a) shows an obvious pennate diatom erroneously indicated to be a spicule. The genus Pellina Schmidt, 1870 is a junior synonym of Halichondria Fleming, 1828 (see Erpenbeck & Van Soest 2002: 803). Pellina longispicula Czerniavsky, 1880 is a possible endemic species of the Black Sea with oxea lengths of 400–540 x 9–16 µm. Cerniavsky did not indicate a typical forma, so I adopt here the role as first revisor and assign the present forma as the nominotypical forma as it is first mentioned. This would have to be named Pellina longispicula f. longispicula (ICZN art. 45.1). The differences of this typical forma from the two other named formae appear entirely unclear. All three are from nearby localities in the northern Black Sea. I propose to merge the formae, including the present, into a single species to be named Halichondria (Halichondria) longispicula ( Czerniavsky, 1880) .