Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia)

Van, Rob W. M., 2009, New sciophilous sponges from the Caribbean (Porifera: Demospongiae), Zootaxa 2107, pp. 1-40 : 33-34

Key to the Hymedesmia (Hymedesmia) species of the Central West Atlantic

Species included always have their acanthostyles singly erect on the substrate, smooth tornotes and arcuate isochelae; they may have distinct categories of acanthostyles, chelae and additional microscleres such as sigmas.

1 Sigmas are present ................................................................................................................ H. (H.) bonairensi s n. sp.

- No sigmas .................................................................................................................................................................... 2

2 Tornotes> 400 µm, acanthostyles> 600 µm ..................................................................................... H. (H.) nummota

- Tornotes <300, acanthostyles <400 µm ....................................................................................................................... 3

3 Chelae in two size categories......................................................................................................... H. (H.) agariciicola

- Chelae in a single size category................................................................................................................................... 4

4 Isochelae strongly curved with very small alae .................................................................................. H. (H.) caribica

- Isochelae with normal-sized alae, with less strongly curved shaft .............................................................................. 5

5 Chelae> 25 µm ............................................................................................................................ H. (H.) curacaoensis

- Chelae <20 µm, palmate-like (alae covering the shaft) ............................................................................................ 6

6 Large category of acanthostyles <300 µm, tornotes less than 1 µm in thickness......................... H. (H.) jamaicensis

- Large category of acanthostyles> 300 µm, tornotes> 1.5 µm in thickness ......................... H. (H.) palmatichelifera