Spheciospongia vagabunda ( Ridley, 1884 )

Calcinai, Barbara, Belfiore, Giuseppe, Pica, Daniela, Torsani, Fabrizio, Palma, Marco & Cerrano, Carlo, 2020, Porifera from Ponta do Ouro (Mozambique), European Journal of Taxonomy 698, pp. 1-56 : 31-32

Spheciospongia vagabunda ( Ridley, 1884)

Fig. 17

Spirastrella vagabunda Ridley, 1884: 468 , pl. 43 figs e, e’.

Material examined PONTA DO OURO • 1 small portion, preserved dry; Blacks; 18 m deep; 13 Nov. 2015; Torsani leg.;

PdO14 .

Description

The sample, preserved dry, is a fragment collected from a sponge in the γ-stage ( Fig. 17A ); this and other observed specimens, very common in the area, are attached by a broad base, with one or more large

vents and numerous digitate protuberances; it is brown, with a smooth surface and a cavernous body; the consistence is tough and incompressible.

SKELETON. In the papillae, tylostyles are organized in palisade, in other parts the skeleton is more confused.

SPICULES. Big and straight styles ( Fig. 17B ), 450–(536.8, 48.8)–620 ×9–(10.7, 1.5)– 13 µm, rare tylostyles with slightly pointed tips; smaller styles ( Fig. 17C ), 240–(284.3, 30.3)– 310 µm × 5–(5.7, 1.3)– 8 µm, with acerate tips and, sometimes, tylostyle modifications; spirasters ( Fig. 17D ) are stout, with average length of 12.5 µm and in several shapes: straight with spines at the extremities (amphiasters like), S-shaped wrapped with spines and slightly curved C-shaped spirasters.

Remarks

This species is widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. Already recorded in the area (Pulitzer- Finali 1993; Barnes & Bell 2002; Samaai et al. 2019).

Figures

Fig. 17. Spheciospongia vagabunda (Ridley, 1884). A. Specimen PdO14 in situ. B. Big style. C. Small style. D. Spirasters.