Sidonops alba var. minor Hentschel, 1912

(Fig. 6K)

Sidonops alba var. minor Hentschel, 1912: 315, pl. 17 fig. 5.

The variety was described by Hentschel from Sungu Barkai, Aru Islands, Indonesia, 6.2946°S 134.4831°E, depth 15 m (syntypes SMF 1512, 1550 and 1565, cf. Barnich & Jabussen 2006: 137). Kieschnick (1896: 529) described Synops alba (currently Geodia alba) from Ternate, Halmaheira, Indonesia, 0.85°N 127.2917°E (holotype SMF 678, cf. Barnich & Janussen 2006: 128), using four lines lacking sufficient details to recognize it among the many Geodiidae, but Thiele (1900: 46, pl. II fig. 16) provided an extensive redescription of Kieschnick’s material. For 13 similar specimens from the Aru Islands, Hentschel (1912) erected a variety minor focusing on small details of e.g. spicule lengths. The main distinctive feature of the species, i.e. the presence of (pro-)mesotriaenes, is present in both the typical variety and the var. minor . I consider the small spicular differences insufficient for specific distinction and accordingly propose the variety minor to be a junior synonym of a single species Geodia alba (Kieschnick, 1896) .