Calthropella Calthropella inopinata Pulitzer-Finali, 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 : 54

Calthropella Calthropella inopinata Pulitzer-Finali, 1983

Calthropella inopinata Pulitzer-Finali 1983: 464, figs 9-10.

Material examined.

None.

Holotype.

MSNG 47158, off Camogli, N Italy.

Description

(from Pulitzer-Finali 1983). Irregularly lobate, stony hard sponges, size up to 15 ×12× 2 cm. Surface ‘even’, no apparent oscules. Light yellow in dry condition.

Spicules: calthrops, oxeas, strongylasters to spherasters, oxyasters.

Calthrops, extremely variable in shape, with many reductions and malformations, size variation also considerable, 34-600 µm (no thickness given).

Oxeas, with extremely elongated, flexuous points, all broken in the slide, but at least 2000 × 15 µm.

Oxyasters, without centre, with two to six microspined rays, 8-17 µm.

Strongylasters to spherasters, variable in shape, irregular with tuberculated rays or lobate, 5-22 µm.

Habitat.

Trawled from 60 m depth.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality off the coast of Genoa, 44°N; 9°E.

Remarks.

This species is similar to Calthropella pathologica in most aspects. Oxeas are stated to be all broken, so chances are they are not proper or only auxiliary. Nevertheless their great length and peculiar endings are the main reason to distinguish this species as separate.

Pulitzer (l.c.) suggests that Calthropella geodioides , Calthropella simplex , Calthropella pathologica and his new species Calthropella inopinata could be all members of the same species. For us, this suggestion has merit, at least as far as a possible synonymy of Calthropella pathologica - Calthropella inopinata and Calthropella simplex - Calthropella geodioides is concerned. A further North Atlantic species, Calthropella (Calthropella) durissima differs clearly in having peculiar silicified microscleres derived from the tuberculated asters.