Euspongia officinalis var. irregularis Schulze, 1879

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 17

Euspongia officinalis var. irregularis Schulze, 1879

( Fig. 1F )

Euspongia officinalis var. irregularis Schulze, 1879a: 619 , pl. XXXV fig. 5.

Spongia officinalis subsp. irregularis ; Vacelet 1959: 74

The variety was described by Schulze from Lesina, Croatia, approximate coordinates 43.12°N 16.7°E (type material not identified). It differs from the typical variety by its irregular growth form with smaller and larger lobes, together forming a partially high and low ‘bath sponge quality’. The variety was not recognized by subsequent authors and Schulze considered it an ecological deep water form. It was declared a doubtful synonym of Spongia officinalis Linnaeus, 1759: 1348 (currently Spongia (Spongia) officinalis ) by Vacelet 1959: 74. I propose to include the variety within that species.

The present variety is a senior primary homonym of the Australian species Euspongia irregularis Von Lendenfeld, 1886: 485 (see also Von Lendenfeld 1889: 245, pl. 12 fig. 9, pl. 13 figs. 1, 2, 4–5, pl. 21 figs. 8–10, pl. 22 figs. 1, 11, 17, pl. 29 fig. 1). Von Lendenfeld (1886) distinguished four varieties, to which he added another five in 1889 (and Whitelegge 1901: 96 added a tenth), but omitted to indicate a nominotypical variety. Hooper & Wiedenmayer (1994: 392) noted the absence of a nominated variety but did not assign one. Above I proposed Euspongia irregularis var. silicata Von Lendenfeld as the nominotypical variety to be named E.i. var. irregularis (ICZN art. 47.1). Since both species officinalis and irregularis are currently assigned to Spongia (Spongia) the junior homonym must be replaced (ICZN art. 59.1). Above, I proposed Spongia (Spongia) vonlendenfeldi nom.nov., named after Robert Von Lendenfeld. Wiedenmayer (1989: 125) synonymized Euspongia irregularis Von Lendenfeld with Spongia (Spongia) hispida Lamarck, 1814 , which is the senior synonym of the new name.

Figures

FIGURE 1. A. Verongia hirsuta var. fistularoides Hyatt, 1875 as pictured by Poléjaeff, 1884: pl. X fig. 1, B. Cacospongia dendroides var. dura Poléjaeff, 1884: pl. VIII fig. 1, C. Hippospongia canaliculata var. dura (Von Lendenfeld, 1889): pl. 12 fig. 6, D. Euspongia officinalis var. exigua Schulze, 1879: pl. XXXIV figs. 5–7, E. Euspongia officinalis var. exigua Schulze, 1879: pl. XXXV figs. 6–8, F. Euspongia officinalis var. irregularis Schulze, 1879: pl. XXXV fig. 5, G. Psammocinia alba Samaai, Pillay & Janson, 2019: fig. 30A.