Cladorhiza similis Ridley & Dendy, 1886

Ekins, Merrick, Erpenbeck, Dirk & Hooper, John N. A., 2020, Carnivorous sponges from the Australian Bathyal and Abyssal zones collected during the RV Investigator 2017 Expedition, Zootaxa 4774 (1), pp. 1-159 : 85

Cladorhiza similis Ridley & Dendy, 1886

Figure 16 , Tables 5 & 9

Cladorhiza similis Ridley & Dendy, 1886: 343 ; Ridley & Dendy, 1887: 93, Pl. XX, Fig. 7 , Pl. XXI, Figs. 5 , 18 . Lévi, 1993: 40, Fig. 14 , Pl. IV, Figs. 4–6 .

Material examined: Microscope slides Types BMNH 1887-5-2 - 142, BMNH 91-10 - 3-43 , BMNH 91-10 - 3-44 , off the Austral Islands , French Polynesia, South Pacific, Station 281, 22° 21’ S. 150° 17’ W, 4360 m depth Coll. H.M.S. Challenger, 6/x/1875 .

Distributio n: This species is presently known only from off French Polynesia and New Caledonia at 1850– 4360 m depth.

Description:

Growth form: ‘Crinorhiza’ growth form, as described by Ridley & Dendy (1887) ( Figure 16 A ).

Megascleres: The shorter subtylostyles are the most obvious component of the spicules, with the swelling appearing at varying heights on the necks of the subtylostyles. The large mycalostyles are much larger than the 3500 µm recorded from re-examining the type spicule preparations, but without further dissection of the holotype their maximum size cannot be ascertained ( Table 9 ).

Microscleres: The tridentate unguiferate anisochelae are very common in the slide preparations, particularly surrounding the tracts of mycalostyles in the filaments ( Table 9 ).

Molecular data: Nil

Remarks: Re-examination of the slides of the type has separated the subtylostyles into two size classes based on length and expanded the measurements of spicules described by Ridley & Dendy (1887). Material described by Lévi (1993) from the vicinity of New Caledonia also differentiate two size classes of the smaller subtylostyles based on significant differences in both their lengths and widths ( Table 9 ), but these megascleres were not illustrated in his publication.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Abyssocladia annae sp. nov. A. Abyssochelae. B. Subtylostyle. C. Magnified ends of the subtylostyle depicted in B. D. Sigmancistra. E. Holotype QM G337611. F. SEM showing the abundant abyssochelae and sigmancistras in the ectosome and the underlying subtylostyles in the endosome.

FIGURE 5. A. Abyssocladia gliscofila sp. nov. Holotype QM G337499. B. Paratype QM G337492. C. Arcuate isochelae. D. Mycalostyle in the stem, filaments and basal holdfast. E. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle depicted in D. F. Style from the basal rootlets. G. Magnified ends of the style depicted in F. H. SEM showing the isochelae forming the ectosome over the mycalostyle bundles in the ectosome of the filaments.

FIGURE 6. Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) maxisigma sp. nov. A. Anisochelae. B. Smaller size class of sigmas. C. Larger size class of sigmas. D. Large mycalostyle. E. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle depicted in D. F. Smaller subtylostyle. G. Magnified ends of the subtylostyle depicted in F. H. SEM showing the main stem longitudinal bundles of mycalostyles, as well as the major filaments buttressed with the large mycalostyles and the finer filaments composed of the subtylostyles I. Preserved holotype QM G337488.

FIGURE 7. Cladorhiza australis nov. sp. Holotype QM G337456. A. Larger multidentate (3–4 upper alae) ‘cleistochelate’ anisochelae. B. ‘Cleistochelate’ anisochelae showing four upper alae. C. Smaller tridentate ‘unguiferate’ anisochelae. D. Sigma. E. Large mycalostyle. F. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in E. G. Medium-sized mycalostyle. H. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in G. I. Small mycalostyle. J. Magnified ends of the small mycalostyle illustrated in I. K. preserved holotype. L. preserved roots of the holotype.

FIGURE 14. Cladorhiza moniqueae sp. nov. Holotype QM G337496. A. Unguiferate arcuate anisochelae. B. Large mycalostyle. C. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in B. D. Smaller mycalostyle. E. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in D. F. Holotype on deck. G. Large sigma. H. Small sigma. I. Sigmancistra.

FIGURE 16. Cladorhiza similis Ridley & Dendy, 1886. A. Type BMNH 1887-5-2-142. B. Spicule preparation showing larger subtylostyles, shorter subtylostyles and unguiferous tridentate anisochelae. C. Section through base of the body to which the filaments emerge. The lower filament no longer has a endosome and the large Mycalostyles can be seen. D. Section through base of the body to which the filaments emerge, magnified to illustrate the anisochelae and subtylostyles in the endosome of the filaments. E. Apical surface of the sponge body showing the anisochelae on the surface above the subtylostyles. F. T. S. of the filament showing the anisochelae in the ectosome and the subtylostyles and mycalostyles in the endosome.

FIGURE 18. Chondrocladia (Chondrocladia) clavata, QM G337491, A. Tridentate unguiferate isochelae. B. Specimens of QM G337491, the left two specimens with the ectosome removed. C. Large mycalostyle. D. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in C. E. Smaller thinner mycalostyle. F. Magnified ends of the mycalostyle illustrated in E. G. Sigma.