Asbestopluma biserialis var. californiana De Laubenfels, 1935

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 67

Asbestopluma biserialis var. californiana De Laubenfels, 1935

( Fig. 7B )

Asbestopluma biserialis var. californiana De Laubenfels, 1935: 4 , fig. 5.

The variety was described by De Laubenfels from Albatross 1911 Cruise Stat. D5893, W of San Nicolas Island, 33.225°N 120.075°W, depth 825 m (holotype AMNH 250, fragment BMNH 1936.7.8.7). The descriptions of the habit and illustration of the spicules are minimal. De Laubenfels erected the variety on the basis of the size of the anisochelae, which were only 6 µm long, twice as small as those of the typical variety of Ridley & Dendy (1886: 340 as Esperella , from Challenger Exped. Stat.191 and 281 in the South Pacific Ocean, 39.2167°S 118.8167°E and 22.35°S 150.2833°W, from abyssal depth, 4050 m and 4239 m, syntypes BMNH 1887.5.2.190 and 1887.5.2.187). He also measured styles of only 1150 x 18 µm, quite smaller than those of the typical variety. De Laubenfels makes no mention of ‘tylostyles’ which occur in the typical variety and in a South Pacific specimen described by Lévi (1964: 74, pl. III fig, H, text-fig. 71) from the Kermadec Trench, but he may have overlooked their presence. The geographic distance and the unsatisfactory but likely differences in spicule sizes make it plausible that the var. californiana is distinct from the typical variety and thus I propose to elevate the variety to the status of species: Asbestopluma (Asbestopluma) californiana De Laubenfels, 1935 .

Figures

FIGURE 7. A. Polymastia isidis var. simplex Hentschel, 1914: pl. V fig. 3, B. Asbestopluma biserialis var. californiana De Laubenfels, 1935: fig. 5, C. Esperiopsis macrosigma var. novaezealandiae Dendy, 1924: pl. XIII figs. 14–20, D. Halichondria flabellifera Bowerbank, 1882: pl. VII figs. 4–10, E. Hymedesmia (Ectyodesmia) mutabilis var. costata Topsent, 1928: pl. VIII figs. 20, 22–23, F. Iophon flabellodigitatus var. gaussi Hentschel, 1914: pl. VI fig.10, G. Iophon pluricornis var. trullifera Hentschel, 1914: pl. VI fig. 9, H. Lissodendoryx isodictyalis var. paucispinosa Topsent, 1928: pl. VIII fig. 11, I. Myxilla mariana var. polysigma Topsent, 1904: pl. XIV figs. 10, J–K. Myxilla rosacea var. japonica Ridley & Dendy, 1887, J. habitus pl. XXVI fig. 3, K. spicules XXVII fig. 8, L. Pytheas rosea var. laevigata Descatoire, 1969b: fig. 4, M. Stylostichon dendyi var. robustum Topsent, 1928: pl. X fig.1.