Pione, GRAY, 1867

Carballo, José Luis, Cruz-Barraza, José Antonio & Gómez, Patricia, 2004, Taxonomy and description of clionaid sponges (Hadromerida, Clionaidae) from the Pacific Ocean of Mexico, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 141 (3), pp. 353-397 : 381-382

PIONE GRAY, 1867

Synonymy: see Rützler (2002a)

Type species: Cliona northumbrica Hancock, 1849

Diagnosis: Sponges in alpha and beta forms. Delicate tylostyles as megascleres accompanied by microspined (rarely smooth) microxea and microspined microrhabds as microscleres. Microrhabds are usually straight or bent but may also be centrotylote and sinuose. Microxeas do not have a particular location or orientation in the tissue ( Rützler, 2002a).

PIONE CARPENTERI ( HANCOCK, 1867)

( FIG. 19 )

Synonymy: Cliona carpenteri Hancock, 1867: 241 ; Cliona bacillifera Carter 1887: 76 ; Pione carpenteri Rosell & Uriz, 1997: 362 .

Material examined: MNCN-1.01/306, Isla Lobos (Mazatlán, Sinaloa), 23∞13¢49¢¢N-106∞27¢43¢¢W, 5 m depth, 17.x.2001, boring into a shell of the bivalve Crassostrea sp. LEB-ICML-UNAM-375, Cerritos 2 (Mazatlán, Sinaloa), 23∞18¢51¢N-106∞29¢31¢W, 1.5 m depth, 15.x.2001, boring into a shell of Crassostrea sp. LEB-ICML-UNAM-379, Isla Pájaros (Mazatlán, Sinaloa), 23∞15¢29¢¢N-106∞28¢25¢¢W, 4 m depth, 18.x.2001, boring into a bivalve shell. LEB-ICML- UNAM-381, Isla Lobos (Mazatlán, Sinaloa), 23∞13¢49¢¢N-106∞27¢43¢¢W, 5 m depth, 17.x.2001, boring into a shell of Crassostrea sp. LEB-ICML- UNAM-856, Majahuita (Jalisco), 20∞29¢6.66¢¢N, 105∞35¢3.42¢¢W, 5 m depth, 08.vi.2003. LEB-ICML- UNAM-786, Antiguo muelle de atraque (Estero de Urías, Mazatlán, Sinaloa), 23∞11¢57¢¢N, 106∞25¢15¢¢W, 2 m depth, 09.v.2003.

Description: Boring sponge always growing in alpha stage. The species reaches a maximum surface of 3.3– 5.5 cm 2. The inhalant papillae are circular, and very small in diameter (from 83 to 800 Mm), making them very difficult to see in situ. They are 0.1–2.4 mm apart and evenly scattered on the entire surface. Oscules are circular, very small in size, from 33.2 to 132.8 Mm in diameter. Papillae are never fused, and do not protrude. Sponge is very light orange in life, pale yellow in alcohol.

Skeletal characters: There are three types of spicules. (i) Straight tylostyles, with well-formed globular heads, sometimes with a small terminal knob, and gradually tapering to the end ( Fig. 19A ). They measure 171 ¥ 4 Mm on average (9.5 Mm head width) ( Table 9). (ii) Stout fusiform oxeas, finely microspined, straight or bent in the centre, where a nodule sometimes appears (on average 84 ¥ 4 Mm) ( Fig. 19B, D ). (iii) Straight microspined microrhabds, slightly fusiform, and characteristically with obtuse ends (average 12.6 Mm) ( Fig. 19C ).

Distribution: Mazatlán (Sinaloa, México, east Pacific Ocean) ( Hancock, 1867), Indian Ocean ( Calcinai et al., 2000).

Remarks: This is the second record in the east Pacific Ocean after its original description. Our specimens were collected in the type locality of Mazatlán (Sinaloa, Mexico), and they perfectly match with the original Hancock description. Along the Atlantic coast of South America specimens without microrhabds and with a violet colour have been cited, which must not be considered Pione carpenteri ( Boury-Esnault, 1973 as Cliona carpenteri ).

Figures

Figure 19. Pione carpenteri: A, head and tip of a tylostyle; B, oxeas with minute spines; C, straight microrhabds; D, detail of the ornamentation of the oxea.