Cliona

Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, Zootaxa 3805 (1), pp. 1-129 : 31

Cliona sp.

( Figure 16 )

Material. USNM 1228935, Carrie Bow forereef ridge at drop-off, under coral plate, 12 m; K. Ruetzler col. 12 May 1975.

External morphology. Circular papillae of <1–2 mm diameter, small (1–2 mm), confluent chambers, or tunnels following the coral-substratum porosity. Color is purplish red, just like Cliona schmidti , but turns whitish tan in alcohol.

Skeleton structure. Tylostyles arranged in brushes, points outward, in the papillae, unorganized in the chambers. No microscleres in the papillae, only one kind, spiny microrhabds, in the chambers.

Spicules. Tylostyles, mostly straight, with spherical or slightly elongate head: 270–370 x 8–14 (340 x 14) Μm. Microrhabds, straight or a bit curved, covered by complex, microspined spines: 23– 33 x 3–4 (26 x 4) Μm.

Ecology. Cryptic on the forereef, 12 m.

Distribution. Belize.

Comments. Because of the similar color, this sponge was initially (in the field) confused with Cliona schmidti . However, the color is not stable when exposed to alcohol and the spiculation is quite unique. Lack of sufficient material does not allow us to establish a new species.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Cliona sp., spicules (SEM): a, tylostyles, head shapes enlarged; b, microspined microrhabds.