Cacochalina digitata var. pontica Czerniavsky, 1880

Cacochalina digitata var. pontica Czerniavsky, 1880: 231, pl. II fig. 16.

Haliclona digitata subsp. pontica; Van Soest 2001: 82 .

Haliclona pontica; Ereskovsky et al. 2016: table A1 (listed only).

The variety was described by Czerniavsky from Alupka, Crimea region, approximate coordinates 44.41°N 34.06°E, depth 10–15 m (no type material identified in ZIN-RAS). This is a secondary homonym of Reniera alba var. pontica Czerniavsky, 1880 (cf. below). Because the combination Haliclona pontica was already used for the present taxon by Ereskovsky et al. (2016: 405, table A1), Cacochalina digitata var. pontica became the senior homonym, despite Reniera alba var. pontica having page priority. The two pontica ’s are currently considered congeneric, the combination Reniera alba var. pontica needs a new subspecies name (ICZN art. 59.1), for which I propose H. alba subsp. albapontica nom.nov. See further below under Reniera alba .