Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882)

Pinheiro, Ulisses Dos S., Hajdu, Eduardo & Custódio, Márcio R., 2007, Aplysina Nardo (Porifera, Verongida, Aplysinidae) from the Brazilian coast with description of eight new species, Zootaxa 1609, pp. 1-51 : 8-10

Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882) ( Figs. 1 B–C, 3B, 4, Tab. II)

Luffaria fulva Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864: 63, in part). Verongia longissima sensu de Laubenfels (1956: 2), Johnson (1971: 105), Hechtel (1976: 239). Verongia cauliformis sensu Collete & Rützler (1977: 309) . Aplysina cauliformis sensu Zea (1987: 57) , Muricy & Moraes (1998: 216), Muricy et al. (2006: 118). Non Aplysina aff. cauliformis sensu Pinheiro & Hajdu (2001; = A. fulva ). Non Aplysina fulva (Pallas, 1766; a valid species). For further synonymy cf. Wiedenmayer (1977: 68).

Sintypes: BMNH 39.3.24.76 and BMNH 39.3.24.2 (not examined).

Studied material: MNRJ 1135, 1137 (Almirante Saldanha seamount, ES, 22º20' S - 37º37' W), Programme REVIZEE coll., 100 m depth, 27/XI/1997. MNRJ 4561 (Dogaresa seamount, Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain, ES, start: 20º44'28'' S - 31º50'03'' W, end: 20º44'30'' S - 31º50'48'' W), Programme REVIZEE coll., 65 m depth, 11/VII/2001. MNRJ 3381 (BA), Programme REVIZEE coll., 31/V/1999. MNRJ 5277, Pedra do Silva (north side), Reserva Extrativista de Corumbau (Prado, BA, 16º53'41.1'' S - 39º05'31.2'' W), U.S. Pinheiro coll., 3 m depth, 23/I/2002. MNRJ 5462, Parcel Paredes, south side (Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos, BA, 17º56.800’ S - 38º54.264’ W), G. Muricy coll., 15 m depth, 01/III/2002. MNRJ 5467, Parcel Paredes, south side (Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos, BA, 17º56.800’ S - 38º54.264’ W), E. Vilanova coll., 15 m depth, 01/III/2002. MNRJ 5475, 5481, 5482, Cave of Siriba Island (Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos, BA), G. Muricy and E. Esteves coll., 10 m depth, 02/III/2002. UFRJPOR 4027 (Tamandaré, PE), 09/III/1996. UFRJPOR 4167, Santo Aleixo Island (Serinhaem, PE), P.S. Young and C.S. Serejo coll., 18/II/1995. UFRJPOR 4407 (BA, 16º34.015’ S - 38º16.182’ W), Programme REVIZEE coll.

Diagnosis: Slender cylindrical branches with regular diameter along all the extension.

Description:

Specimens consist of slender cylindrical branches with regular diameter, single or grouped, sometimes with anastomoses and ramifications. In studied specimens the projections present a maximum length of 36 cm, and maximum diameter of 1cm. Oscula are often longitudinally aligned on the projections. The surface is finely conulose. Consistency hard. Purple or light-yellow in vivo, and purple after preservation in alcohol ( Figs. 1 B–C, 4A).

Skeleton: Choanosome formed by an irregular polygonal reticulation of spongin fibers ( Fig. 4B ). Bark with amber colour 22–190 Μm thick (average 74 Μm) and a thick pith that can be black or amber, 7–115 Μm (average 30 Μm) ( Fig. 4C , Tab. II).

TABLE II: Spongin fibres’ measurement data for Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882) (in micrometers, S.D. = Standard Deviation and N=30).

UFRJPOR 4407 (REVIZEE) BA 77.5 126.2 190.0 22.8 30.0 58.2 115.0 18.6 *BA, Bahia State; PE, Pernambuco State.

Distribution: Tropical western Atlantic: Brazil (8–23º S, Fig. 3 B): Pernambuco State (Santo Aleixo Island and Tamandaré), Bahia State (Reserva Extrativista de Corumbau and Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos), Espirito Santo State (Vitória-Trindade Seamount Chain and Almirante Saldanha Seamount). World: Florida, Bahamas, Virgin Islands, Belize, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Curaçao and Colombia.

Bathymetry: Known depth distribution in Brazil is from 3 to 100 m.

Remarks: van Soest (1978) commented that it was possible to differentiate A. cauliformis from A. fulva by the colouration of preserved specimens, with the former showing a lighter colouration and the second a darker one, an opinion shared by Zea (1987). However, as argued below, Brazilian A. fulva turned into various lighter or darker shades of brown, or even black, making it impossible to set both species apart on the basis of this criterion. Therefore, the best character to differentiate both species in Brazil is the cylindrical branches, always thin and with a regular diameter along the extension in A. cauliformis , and of varied thickness and irregular diameter in A. fulva . This is a case where extended investigation must be done, and this will need to rely on additional sources of evidence, as morphology alone is frequently permitting only hesitating assignments.

Zea (1987) hinted upon the existence of two morphotypes within Caribbean A. cauliformis , further remarked upon in Schmitt et al. (2005). These, so far, are recognized solely on the basis of their habit (Zea, pers. comm.): morphotype I - brown, erect, ramifying rather dichotomously from a single trunk; and morphotype II - lilac or cinammon with lilac tinges, less ramified, often repent. We failed to recognize any such distinction in the Brazilian materials studied. The possibility that one of these could match A. orthoreticulata sp.n. (described below) depends on an evaluation of their skeletal architecture, which has not been done here.

Figures

FIGURE 1: A. Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001 — in situ (São Sebastião, SP, Brazil). B – C. Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882) in situ (B. MNRJ 5462, C. MNRJ 5467, Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos, BA, Brazil). Scale bar = 1 cm.

FIGURE 3: Map showing the distribution of Aplysina along the Brazilian coastline. A. Aplysina caissara Pinheiro & Hajdu, 2001. B. Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882). C. Aplysina fistularis (Pallas, 1766). D. Aplysina fulva (Pallas, 1766). Scale bar = 500 km.

FIGURE 4: A – C. Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882). A. MNRJ 5482 (after preservation). B. Skeletal architecture (MNRJ 1137). C. Spongin fibres (MNRJ 1137). Scale bars = A. 1 cm, B. 500 µm, C. 50 µm.