Calthropella Pachataxa enigmatica Levi & Levi , 1983

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 : 58-60

Calthropella Pachataxa enigmatica Levi & Levi, 1983 Figs 30 A–F

Pachataxa enigmatica Lévi and Lévi 1983: 151, fig. 29.

Material examined.

Holotype MNHN DCL 2805; paratypes DCL 2895 (4 small sponges), both from New Caledonia, 22.8°S; 167.15°E, depth 355-360 m.

Description.

Massive with rounded flattened lobate outgrowths (Fig. 30A). Size of holotype 3.5 ×3.5× 1.2 cm, paratypes slightly smaller to about 1 cm3. Brownish beige in alcohol. Small slightly raised oscules of less than 1 mm diameter are scattered in vague groups on the upper surface. Consistency firm to hard, crumbly.

Skeleton: confused, with a crust of microscleres carried by the triaene megascleres. A few broken oxea-like spicules were present in the slides made from the largest paratype.

Spicules (Fig. 30B): Calthrops, spheroxyasters, ataxasters.

Calthrops (Fig. 30 B–C), occasionally with five-claded mesotriaene-like forms (called ‘centrotriaenes’ by Lévi and Lévi), cladi 70 –215.4– 450 × 13 –30.6– 54 µm, cladomes 120 –311– 510 µm.

Spheroxyasters (Figs 30 D–E), called ‘chiasters’ by Lévi and Lévi, but they do not have blunt rays), small, 4 –8.7– 12 µm diameter (but not as small as 4-5 µm as Lévi and Lévi stated).

Ataxasters (Fig. 30F) are microspined, basically ovoid microrhabds, with many forms branched or irregular (shapes may be termed centrotylote rhabds, rods with side branch(es), round balls, cross-shaped, or rarely polyangular/aster-like), size ranging from 9 × 4 to 42 × 16 µm.

Habitat.

Deep water, 355 m.

Distribution.

Known only from off New Caledonia.

Remarks.

The New Caledonian species differs from the Caribbean Calthropella (Pachataxa) lithistina in overall spicule size and particularly in the small size of the oxyasters; that species is much larger and has a plate-shape. Calthropella (Pachataxa) pyrifera sp. n. (see below) differs likewise in having larger oxyasters up to 24 µm diameter and asymmetrical pear-shaped ataxasters.