Ceraochalina reticutis var. salomonensis Dendy, 1922

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 32

Ceraochalina reticutis var. salomonensis Dendy, 1922

Ceraochalina reticutis var. salomonensis Dendy, 1922: 43 (no illustration).

The variety was described by Dendy from the Salomon Islands, Western Indian Ocean, Sea Lark Exped. Stat. CXX1, approximate coordinates 5.338°S 72.19°E, depth 27 m (wet holotype specimen BMNH 1921.11.7.35). It was erected on the shape of the thin strongylote spicules, differing from predominantly oxeote spicules found in the typical variety Ceraochalina reticutis Dendy, 1905: 153 , pl. X fig.8 (currently Callyspongia (Callyspongia) reticutis ) from the Gulf of Mannar, Sri Lanka, approximate coordinates 9°N 79°E, wet holotype BMNH 1907.2.1.51). Habitus and spicule lengths are similar in both varieties. In other Callyspongia species, see Caribbean species described in e.g. Van Soest (1980), strongylote vs. oxeote spicules often co-occur with other species characters, so it is likely a character distinguishing species. For that reason, I provisionally maintain the present variety as a valid species, to be named Callyspongia (Callyspongia) salomonensis ( Dendy, 1922) .