Iotrochota baculifera Ridley, 1884

Putra, Singgih Afifa, Ambo-Rappe, Rohani, Jompa, Jamaluddin & de Voogd, Nicole J., 2024, Preliminary study of marine sponges (Porifera) in the littoral of Spermonde Archipelago, Indonesia, ZooKeys 1208, pp. 275-313 : 275-313

Iotrochota baculifera Ridley, 1884

Fig. 14

Diagnostic features.

Black, thin, encrusting with rough surface, and boring. Choanosomal skeleton show multispicular reticulation. Spicule arrangements are styles 157.9–212.5 (191.7) × 7.4–15.9 (11.4) µm (n = 25), strongyles 248–287.6 (266.6) × 3.6–7.8 (6.7) µm (n = 25), with microsclere birotulate chelae, 13.9–17.3 (15.4) µm (n = 21). Iotrochota baculifera has similar coloration with Iotrochota purpurea ( Bowerbank, 1875) and Iotrochota nigra ( Baer, 1906) . Table 2 shows the comparison of the spicule measurements of these species.

Distribution and ecology.

Widespread from the Western Indian Ocean to Hawaii ( Núñez Pons et al. 2017). Only two species of Iotrochota have been recorded from Spermonde Archipelago, Iotrochota purpurea and Iotrochota baculifera Ridley, 1884 ( de Voogd 2005). Our specimen was found in the north-west of Samalona Island, the Spermonde Archipelago; reef flat.

Figures

Figure 14. Iotrochota baculifera Ridley, 1884 a habitus in situ at Samalona Island, the Spermonde Archipelago (photograph by SAP) b birotulate chelae c styles.