Hircinia flagelliformis Carter, 1886

Van Soest, Rob W. M., 2024, Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera, Zootaxa 5398 (1), pp. 1-122 : 17

Hircinia flagelliformis Carter, 1886

Hircinia flagelliformis Carter, 1886a: 372 (no illustration); Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: 189.

Not: Aplysina flagelliformis ; Von Lendenfeld 1889: 415, pl. 27 fig. 10; Wilson 1902: 406.

The species was described by Carter from Westernport Bay, Victoria, Australia, approximate coordinates 38,35°S 145.24°E (lectotype (dried) BMNH 1886.12.15.242). The description is unclear in the sense that Carter mentions filaments (a distinctive feature of genus Ircinia ), but reports that these contain sand grains, which is not known from any Ircinia . Furthermore, he makes a comparison with the species Aplysina longissima described by him from the West Indian region ( Bahamas and Jamaica), which is currently assigned to the haplosclerid Callyspongia (Cladochalina) tenerrima ( Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) . Von Lendenfeld (1889) translated Carter’s remark to an assignment to the genus Aplysina as A. flagelliformis , supposedly occurring disjunctly in Australia and the West Indian region, without re-examining the specimen (contra a suggestion by Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: 189). Wilson (1902) followed this by describing Aplysina flagelliformis from Puerto Rico, which is a true Aplysina , probably A. fulva ( Pallas, 1766) or A. cauliformis ( Carter, 1882a) . Hooper & Wiedenmayer listed the species as Druinellidae Von Lendenfeld, 1889 incertae sedis (= currently Pseudoceratinidae Carter, 1885a incertae sedis). The identity of Hircinia flagelliformis remains uncertain and thus it is best to keep its name Ircinia flagelliformis Carter, 1886a for the time being but as a taxon inquirendum.