Levantiniella levantinensis (Vacelet, Bitar, Carteron, Zibrowius and Pérez, 2007)

(Figure 9)

Cinachyrella levantinensis Vacelet et al. 2007: 1540, fig. 2.

Levanteniella levantinensis, Carella et al. 2016: 6, fig. 9E

Material examined: ESFM-POR/2017-502, S25, 5 –10 m, on muddy sand with shells, 2 specimens, ESFM-POR/2017-580, S26, 10 –20 m, on muddy sand with shells, 2 specimens, ESFM-POR/2017-670, S27, 5 –10 m, on muddy sand with shells, 1 specimen, ESFM-POR/2017-779, S31, 10 –20 m, on muddy sand with shells, 3 specimens, ESFM-POR/2017-788, S32, 10 –20 m, on muddy sand with shells, 3 specimens, ESFM-POR/2017-733, S36, 10 –20 m, on muddy sand with shells, 2 specimens .

Description: Specimens are subspherical in shape and 3–3.5 cm in diameter, without root tufts. The surface is covered with sediment (silt, mud). The color is yellow when alive, without sand, becomes light brown-cream in alcohol (Figure 9a). The hispididation is variable and the spicules are visible with the naked eye. The skeleton consists of large bundles of oxea (1200–6100 × 2–4 μm), anatriaene; (rhabdome up to 6500–7000 × 3.5–6 μm), protriaenes with a thin rhabdome often flexuous or hairlike (1000–2100 × 2.5–5 μm), small oxea (50–110 × 1–2 μm) and C-shaped, thin sigmaspires (8–12 μm × 0.5–1 μm) (Figure 9b).

Habitat and distribution: In this study, it was found on horizontal rocky bottoms covered with sediment deposits at depths between 10– 27 m. This species was previously found on rocks at depths of 6–35 m (Vacelet et al. 2007). It is a species endemic to the eastern Mediterranean Sea de Voogd et al. 2024), known only from the coasts of Lebanon and Israel (Vacelet et al. 2007). It is a new record for the coast of Aegean Sea.