Theonella swinhoei var. verrucosa Wilson, 1925

(Figs. 6O–P)

Theonella swinhoei var. verrucosa Wilson, 1925: 450, pl. 43 fig. 1, pl. 49 fig. 10.

The variety was described by Wilson for a thick-walled specimen collected by the Albatross Philippine Expedition Stat. 5335, near Linapacan Island, Linapacan Strait, Palawan, Philippines, 11.6208°N 119.812°E, depth 84 m (dried holotype USNM 21342). The data provided by the USNM database (cited here) differ from Wilson’s text, as he gave Albatross Stat. 5356 as the locality. The shape of the specimen is rather similar to that of the holotype of the typical variety from Taiwan (cf. Pisera & Lévi 2002: 335, figs. 14–16, for a redescription of the dried holotype BMNH 1865.12.15.2), but according to Wilson there are two differences, the desma rhabds (‘epactines’) of the tetraclone desmas would be tuberculated (’verrucose’) in the present variety whereas those of the typical variety would be smooth, and the acanthorhabds (’microstrongyles’) of the present variety would be smaller (10–12 µm) at the surface than in the interior (10–22 µm). According to Pisera & Lévi l.c., in the typical variety the tuberculated condition of the tetraclone desmas differs between the interior (strongly tuberculated) and the subectosomal region (smooth or poorly tuberculated). The length of the acanthorhabds (14–23 µm in the type of the typical variety) is variable throughout the sponge. The differences alleged by Wilson are not clearly established and the species T. swinhoei is notoriously variable in habit and skeletal features. Thus, I propose to merge the two varieties and recognize a single taxon, Theonella swinhoei Gray, 1868 .