Myxodoryx hanitschi ( Kirkpatrick, 1907 )

Schejter, Laura, Cristobo, Javier & Ríos, Pilar, 2024, New records of demosponges (Porifera) from the South Orkney Islands (Antarctica) with a checklist for the region, Zootaxa 5403 (4), pp. 401-430 : 416

Myxodoryx hanitschi ( Kirkpatrick, 1907)

( Fig. 7g –k )

Restricted synonymy: Lissomyxilla hanitschi Kirkpatrick, 1907 .

Material examined: 5 specimens collected at stations 2 ( SOI; 60°53'S, 44°33'W; 218 m; 20/2/2014; MACNIn 44395; IEO-CSIC Col.), 11 ( SOI; 60°53'S, 42°35'W; 487 m; 10/3/2014; IEO-CSIC Col.), 13 ( SOI; 60°49'S, 45°29'W; 353 m; 11/3/2014; MACN-In 44496; IEO-CSIC Col.) and 18 ( SOI; 60°47,561'S, 45°36,854'W; 96 m; 10/3/2012; MACN-In 44497; IEO-CSIC Col.) .

Description: Massive, globular to elongate specimens, beige-yellow in colour ( Fig. 7g ). Spicules are smooth styles 290–590 µm by 10–15 µm, acanthostyles 240–325 µm with a characteristic pattern of spines (see also Göcke & Janussen, 2013) and tornotes of 300–370 µm by 5 µm ( Fig. 7h–k ).

Remarks: This species is endemic to Antarctica. It was previously recorded by Kirkpatrick (1907), Hentschel (1914), Koltun (1964), Campos et al. (2007), Göcke & Janussen (2013) and Fernández et al. (2021). This is the first record for the SOI.

Figures

FIGURE 7. a. Myxilla (Myxilla) mollis, general morphology, scale: 3 cm; b–f. Myxilla (B.) lissostyla, b. general morphology, scale: 2 cm; c. chela, scale: 50 µm; d. chela, scale: 30 µm; e. tylote, scale: 55 µm; f. style, scale: 110 µm; g–k. Myxodoryx hanitschi, g. general morphology, scale: 2 cm; h. style, scale: 80 µm; i. tornote, scale: 45 µm; j. acanthostyle, scale: 65 µm; k. acanthostyle, scale: 25 µm.