Isodictya simulans var. incrustans Carter, 1887

(Fig. 4C)

Isodictya simulans var. incrustans Carter, 1887: 70, pl. 6 fig. 2.

Carter described eight specimens from the north east side of King’s Island in the Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar, approximate coordinates 12.58 N 98.42E, as Isodictya simulans (Johnston, 1842, originally as Halichondria) with local varietal and subvarietal names. Since Haliclona (Haliclona) simulans (Johnston, 1842) is currently a well-established European species (see De Weerdt 1986: 97) it is judged to be unlikely that the Andaman Sea Coral Coast specimens belong to it and accordingly the varieties are elevated to species rank.

Two encrusting specimens of elaborate shape were united under var. incrustans . Transferred to Haliclona the combination simulans var. incrustans became a junior secondary homonym of Haliclona foraminosa f. incrustans (Czerniavsky, 1880 as Protoschmidtia) (see below). Burton (1959: 220) assigned Carter’s specimen no. 71 to a new combination, Haliclona carteri (holotype BMNH 1887.6.1.1), which removed the homonymy with Czerniavsky’s combination. I concur with Burton’s decision.