Corvoheteromeyenia Ezcurra de Drago, 1979

Calheira, Ludimila & Pinheiro, Ulisses, 2016, Corvoheteromeyenia Ezcurra de Drago, 1979 (Spongillidae, Porifera): Genus review with proposal of neotype of Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera (Ezcurra de Drago, 1974), Zootaxa 4126 (3), pp. 351-374 : 352-353

Genus Corvoheteromeyenia Ezcurra de Drago, 1979

Corvomeyenia: Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966: 129 (part). Corvomeyenia: Ezcurra de Drago, 1974: 233 (part).

Corvoheteromeyenia Ezcurra de Drago, 1979: 110 .

Emended diagnoses. Spongillidae encrusting. Choanosomal skeleton irregularly alveolate. Megascleres are oxeas, slightly curved, generally smooth, sometimes irregularly microspined. Microscleres are pseudobirotules and/or acanthoxeas varying in shape and size. Gemmules adhered to the substrate or free in the sponge. Foramen single and circular. Gemmular theca tri-layered with gemmuloscleres radially embedded. Gemmuloscleres are birotules or sanidasters (modified from Pinheiro et al. 2015).

Remarks. Ezcurra de Drago (1979) did not mention the presence of acanthoxea microscleres in the diagnosis of Corvoheteromeyenia , but in the description of C. heterosclera the author describes these microscleres as "spicules larger than the others, variously curved, with acute tip and surface covered with spikes and/or bifurcated or branched protuberances, which generally reach a greater development in the central portion of the spicule” (translated from Ezcurra de Drago 1974). Despite the acute tip, she considered the acanthoxea microscleres as a variation of the isochelae ( Fig. 2 , modified from Ezcurra de Drago 1974; Fig. I.4–7). Here, we emend the diagnosis of Corvoheteromeyenia to include the presence of acanthoxea microscleres. Additionally, we consider that the oxea, pseudobirotule and birotule spicules described by Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago (1966) and Ezcurra de Drago (1974; 1979) for Corvoheteromeyenia to be amphioxea, isochelae and amphidiscs, respectively.

Type Species. Corvomeyenia australis Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966 , by original designation.

Remarks. The proposal of neotypes of Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera and C. australis is necessary to clarify the specific status of both species that has become confused due the loss of their type material. Since C. heterosclera was originally described from Northeast Brazil, we choose UFPEPOR 975; UFPEPOR 1349 that was collected in Pernambuco (Northeast Brazil) and we have the opportunity to follow the growth of the specimen. On the other hand, it was not possible to indicate the neotype of C. australis , since the loan of specimens that were collected in the type locality and are deposited at INALI (Instituto Nacional de Limnología) was denied. Therefore, we provide below the characterization of C. australis based on material collected in the neighboring basin ( Paraguay Basin).

Figures

FIGURE 2. Corvoheteromeyenia heterosclera, spicules from original paper (modified from Ezcurra de Drago 1974). Acanthoxea microscleres circumscribed by red line. Holotype on white background and paratype on gray background.