Ircinia laeviconulosa, Kelly & Thacker, 2021

Kelly, Joseph B. & Thacker, Robert W., 2021, New shallow water species of Caribbean Ircinia Nardo, 1833 (Porifera: Irciniidae), Zootaxa 5072 (4), pp. 301-323 : 310-311

Ircinia laeviconulosa sp. nov.

Figures 8 , 9 ; Tables 1 , 2 .

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2F579603-36E6-4D5A-9009-FBB43A99247C

Holotype: USNM 1582283 (P16x57; 9.35133, -82.2593; appx. 5 m depth; coll. J.B.K. and R.W. T.; 26 July 2016) . Paratypes: USNM 1582285 (P16x59; 9.35133, -82.2593; appx. 5 m depth; coll. J.B.K. and R.W. T.; 26 July 2016) , USNM 1582286 (P16x60; 9.35133, -82.2593; appx. 5 m depth; coll. J.B.K. and R.W. T.; 26 July 2016) , USNM 1582288 (P16x62; 9.35133, -82.2593; appx. 5 m depth; coll. J.B.K. and R.W. T.; 26 July 2016) .

Type locality: Bocas del Toro, Panama.

External morphology. Ircinia with a massive growth form and dark green pinacoderm ( Figure 8 ). Body diameter 10–15 cm. Possesses low conules (1.5–1.75 mm). Oscula flush, sometimes slightly darker than the exterior of the sponge, 0.4–1.2 cm in diameter, and with a thin dark green or gray membrane.

Interior morphology. Massive fascicular fibers 110–160 µm wide, heavily cored. Interconnecting fibers 20–50 um wide, sparsely cored ( Figure 9 ). Irciniid filaments 1–5 µm wide, terminating in spherical to tear-drop knobs measuring 6–9 µm in diameter.

Ecology. This species is found among Thalassia spp. and coral patches in shallow depths.

Etymology. The name refers to the texture imparted by the species’ low conules.

Remarks. All specimens collected had a globose growth morphology. Referred to as the ‘Massive A green’ growth form in Kelly et al. (2021).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Ircinia laeviconulosa sp. nov. A: USNM 1582283 (holoype), B: USNM 1582285 (paratype), C: USNM 1582288 (paratype), D: USNM 1582286 (paratype). Note the variation in oscular position, from a single large osculum (A) to multiple smaller oscula (B-D).

FIGURE 9. A,B: Histological sections of Ircinia laeviconulosa sp. nov., specimen voucher USNM 1582285 (paratype). Abbreviations follow Figure 3.