Tubella delicata (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1967)

(Figure 10)

Trochospongilla delicata Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1967b: 159 (in part); Kilian & Wintermann-Kilian 1976: 82, De Rosa- Barbosa 1980: 90, De Rosa-Barbosa 1984: 130, Ezcurra de Drago 1993: 120, Batista et al. 2003: 530, Batista et al. 2007: 620.

Material studied. UFPEPOR1297, Pirangi River, Jaqueira, Pernambuco, Brazil, 08°44'53,0"S 35°48'51,1"W, coll. U. Pinheiro, 23.v.2012.

General morphology. Encrusting sponge thin, surface hispid (Fig. 10 a). Colour green. Consistency of live sponges fragile to moderately soft. Spicules. Megascleres oxeas (210–276/9–12µm), smooth, straight to slightly curved (Fig. 10 b,c). Microscleres absent. Gemmuloscleres birotules (21–30µm), smooth slender shaft (1,5–4µm), equal rotules (9–21µm) with uncut/entire margins (Fig. 10 d-f). Gemmules are tiny hemispherical averaging 240µm in diameter and are scattered in the sponge body. Gemmular theca made by thin layer consisting of spongin, where gemmuloscleres are embedded tangentially (Fig. 10 g).

Distribution and ecological notes. Brazil (Muricy et al. 2011); Argentina (Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago 1967b, Volkmer-Ribeiro & De Rosa-Barbosa 1972). Specimens were found on rocky substrate in running waters.