Stelletta agulhana var. paucistella Burton, 1926

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 61

Stelletta agulhana var. paucistella Burton, 1926

Stelletta agulhana var. paucistella Burton, 1926: 6 (no illustration); Samaai 2006: 5, Table 1 (listed only).

The variety was described by Burton from the Agulhas Bank, South Africa, 29.7367°S 31.3458°E, depth 50 m (syntypes BMNH 1924.5.1.20–26, and 2 slides). It differs from the typical variety S. agulhana Von Lendenfeld (1907: 269 , from Agulhas Bank, South Africa, 35.4467°S 20.9367°E, depth 84 m, type material consisting of slides BMNH 1908.2.29.138–142) in the paucity of the large oxyasters, but all other features were the same in both varieties. The typical variety was also reported by Burton from the same locality as the present variety. The fact that the large oxyasters were present, be it in small numbers, is hardly sufficient to recognize two distinct taxa. In view of the sympatric occurrence, I propose to merge the varieties in a single species to be named Stelletta agulhana Von Lendenfeld, 1907 .

There is perhaps reason for doubt about this name, because Burton l.c. and Lévi (1963: 232) did not find any anatriaenes in their specimens identified as S. agulhana , whereas these were reported as common in the type material by Von Lendenfeld l.c. and Samaai & Gibbons (2005: 12). The latter authors suggested that Burton’s and Lévi’s specimens could belong to a closely related but separate species. If that would be the case, the name paucistella Burton, 1926 would be available for it. I refrain from formalizing this possibility until a proper study of the variability of these Stelletta agulhana specimens has been made.