Dercitus loricatus Lebwohl, 1914

Van Soest, Rob W. M., Beglinger, Elly J. & De Voogd, Nicole J., 2010, Skeletons in confusion: a review of astrophorid sponges with (dicho-) calthrops as structural megascleres (Porifera, Demospongiae, Astrophorida), ZooKeys 68, pp. 1-88 : 42-43

Dercitus loricatus Lebwohl, 1914

Dercitus loricatus Lebwohl 1914: 84, pl. IX figs 21-60.

Pachastrella monilifera ; Maldonado 2002: 155 (not Schmidt 1868).

Material examined.

None.

Description

(from Lebwohl, 1914). Encrusting a lithistid ( Discodermia ) and partly overgrown by Pachastrella tenuilaminaris . Colour brownish yellow. Consistency compact in dry condition. Surface covered by dirt, serpulids, foraminifera and bryozoans, amidst two openings with diaphragms supposed to be oscules. Surface skeleton a thick crust of microrhabds and metasters. The interior is a mass of calthrops interspersed by metasters.

Spicules: calthrops, microrhabds, metasters.

Calthrops variable in number of cladi, often with bifid endings, but no real dichocalthrops, quite variable in size: 40-1250 × 5-165 µm.

Microrhabds ovoid, occasionally globular, rugose or microspined, 11.5-17.5 × 5.5-8.5 µm.

Metasters, microspined, 14-26 µm, with 4-18 rays of 5-20 µm length.

Habitat.

Deep water, 214 m.

Distribution.

Japan.

Remarks.

This is a dubious description as it was partly overgrown by a Pachastrella species, which might have contaminated the spicule complement (e.g. the microrhabds which are characteristic for Pachastrella ). Since no sanidasters nor euasters were described, we exclude this material from our review as a pachastrellid of uncertain affinity. Maldonado (2002) assigned this to Pachastrella monilifera , but there is insufficient evidence for this.