Svenzea tubulosa ( Alcolado & Gotera, 1986 )

Ugalde, Diana, Fernandez, Julio C. C., Gómez, Patricia, Lôbo-Hajdu, Gisele & Simões, Nuno, 2021, An update on the diversity of marine sponges in the southern Gulf of Mexico coral reefs, Zootaxa 5031 (1), pp. 1-112 : 62-63

Svenzea tubulosa ( Alcolado & Gotera, 1986)

Tables 6, 7; Figs. 57A–C , 58L , 70A

Synonymy: Scopalina tubulosa Alcolado & Gotera (1986: 6) . Type locality. Cuba, Greater Antilles

Material examined. CNPGG-2166, Cayo Arcas reef (20.1949°N, 91.9574°W), 8 m depth, coll. Diana Ugalde, 24 April 2018 ; CNPGG-2198, Cayo Arcas reef (20.1956°N, 91.9599°W), 6.7 m depth, coll. Diana Ugalde, 20 August 2018 ; CNPGG-2232, Cayo Arcas reef (20.1956°N, 91.9599°W), 10.2 m depth, coll. Diana Ugalde, 24 August 2018 ; CNPGG-2272, Triangulo Este reef (20.8976°N, 92.2421°W), 14.1 m depth, coll. Oscar Bocardo, 11 September 2017 ; CNPGG-2370, Banco Nuevo reef (20.5456°N, 91.8794°W), 20 m depth, coll. Oscar Bocardo, 15 September 2017 ; CNPGG-2472, Alacranes reef (22.5424°N, 89.7486°W), 15 m depth, coll. Diana Ugalde, 25 June 2016 .

Description. Tubular habit, erect, in single tubes or forming clusters of two to four tubes ( Figs. 58L , 70A ), 3–8 cm high, the surface is optically smooth but microhispid to the touch. Oscules on the top of the tubes splitted in two apertures, 5 mm to 1 cm in diameter each. Pores visible along the tubes 1–2 mm diameter. The color is ochre yellow in vivo at the outside part, and white color inside, beige when in ethanol. The consistency is firm but compressible, easy to cut.

Skeleton. Choanosomal skeleton is an ill-defined isotropic net, forming meshes ( Fig. 57A ), 150–250–550 µm in diameter, ascending tracts let single spicules protrude outside the surface ( Fig. 57B ).

Spicules. Megascleres. Styles slightly curved with hastate tip ( Fig. 57C ), 310– 325 (34.2)–430/7.5– 10.5 (2.9)– 16.5 µm.

Distribution. Mexico (current records), Cuba ( Alcolado & Gotera 1986).

Remarks. The specimens assigned to S. tubulosa conform thoroughly to the original description of Alcolado & Gotera (1986). A somewhat wider range in spicule dimensions is detected in our specimens ( Table 4). Svenzea tubulosa is easily distinguished from the other five Svenzea species reported in the TNwA by its tubular morphology and skeletal architecture, which consists of an almost isotropic network, absent from other species of the genus. Our material is the first record of S. tubulosa for the GoM, and this is the first record of the species since Alcolado & Gotera’s original description. Svenzea tubulosa is recorded herein at four coral reefs in the Campeche Bank, including Alacranes reef. Hence, we expect that the species may have wide geographical distribution in the southern GoM.

Figures

FIGURE 57. Svenzea tubulosa (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986) (CNPGG-2166), skeleton and spicules: A. transversal section of the skeleton; B. detail of the ectosomal region with a hispid surface and part of the choanosomal reticulation; C. styles. Scale bars: A = 500 µm; B–C = 200 µm.

FIGURE 58. In situ photographs of species analyzed in the present study: A. Acarnus innominatus Gray, 1867 (CNPGG-2393); B. Monanchora arbuscula (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) (CNPGG-2204); C. Strongylacidon bermuda (de Laubenfels, 1950) (CNPGG-2170); D. Desmapsamma anchorata (Carter, 1882) (CNPGG-2443); E. Iotrochota arenosa Rützler, Maldonado, Piantoni & Riesgo, 2007 (CNPGG-2422); F. Mycale (Mycale) laevis (Carter, 1882) (CNPGG-2273); F. Mycale (Arenochalina) laxissima (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) (CNPGG-2267); H. Polymastia tenax Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 (CNPGG-22587); I. Scopalina ruetzleri (Wiedenmayer, 1977) (CNPGG-2183); J. Svenzea cristinae Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 2002 (CNPGG- 2474); K. Svenzea flava (Lehnert & van Soest, 1999) (CNPGG-2288); L. Svenzea tubulosa (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986) (CN- PGG-2272), surface detail zoomed in (arrow indicates white channels in the choanosomal region). Scale bars, A–L = 1 cm.

FIGURE 70. In situ photographs of species analyzed in the present study: A. Svenzea tubulosa (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986), B. Svenzea zeai (Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 1998) (CNPGG-2284); C. Hymeniacidon caerulea Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 (CNPGG- 2425); D. Topsentia ophiraphidites (de Laubenfels, 1934) (CNPGG-2185); E. Topsentia ophiraphidites (de Laubenfels, 1934) (CNPGG-2262); F. Topsentia ophiraphidites (de Laubenfels, 1934) (CNPGG-2415); G. Tectitethya crypta de Laubenfels, 1949 (CNPGG-2176); H. Tectitethya macrostella Sarà & Bavestrello, 1996 (CNPGG-2277); I. Tethya diploderma Schmidt, 1870 (CNPGG-2191); J. Timea stenosclera Hechtel, 1969 (CNPGG-2275); K. Timea stenosclera Hechtel, 1969 (CNPGG-2358), surface detail zoomed in (arrow indicates a specimen of Chalinula aff. molitba); L. Stellettinopsis megastylifera (Wintermann- Kilian & Kilian, 1984) (CNPGG-2446); M. Geodia gibberosa Lamarck, 1815 (CNPGG-2291); N. Geodia neptuni (Sollas, 1886) (CNPGG-2439). Scale bars, A–N = 1 cm.