Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967

(Figs. 5 E-F)

Ancorina radix f. nanosclera Lévi, 1967: 242, pl. XVIII fig. 3, text-fig. 13.

Ancorina radix var. nanosclera; Vacelet & Vasseur 1971: 69, fig. 11.

The forma was described by Lévi from Natal, South Africa, 30.7833°S 30.45°E, depth 36 m (holotype MNHN-IP-2015-1050). The variety differs from the typical variety of Ancorina radix Marenzeller (1889 from Lesina, Adriatic Sea, approximate coordinates 42.0167°N 15.3333°E, 3 wet syntypes in NHM Wien (Vienna Museum) reg. nr. 1619/14710, including a number of slides) in the much smaller size of the sanidasters (present variety 4 µm, typical variety 12 µm). This difference is apparently consistent as also the Madagascar specimen reported by Vacelet & Vasseur had these small sanidasters. There is also a subtle difference in the shape of the cladome of the plagiotriaenes. The typical variety is reported from South Africa as well (Burton 1926: 13) and also from Madagascar (Vacelet & Vasseur 1971). If these records are accurate then the two varieties are sympatric, which is a reason to consider them distinct species, rather than subspecies. A complication is that the variety was described after 1960, thus rendering it infrasubspecific (ICZN art. 15.2) and excluding it from regulating by the Code (ICZN art. 45.6.3). I propose to erect a new name, identical to the unavailable name to avoid unnecessary confusion: Ancorina nanosclera nom.nov. but with the present authorship and date (in accordance with ICZN 45.5.1) and type material and type locality fixed here:

Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (France), Collection: Porifera (IP) . Holotype MNHN-IP-2015- 1050. Type locality Natal, South Africa, 30.7833°S 30.45°E, depth 36 m, 13-08-1958.