Lycopodina hydra, (LUNDBECK, 1905)

LYCOPODINA HYDRA ( LUNDBECK, 1905) View in CoL

( FIG. 34; TABLE 7)

Original description: Asbestopluma hydra Lundbeck, 1905: 66 .

Type material examined: Lectotype: ZMUC-DEM-35, the Danish Ingolf Expedition, st. 113 (21 July 1896, 69°31ʹN, 007°06ʹW, 2465 m). Paralectotype: ZMUC-DEM-284, st. 119 (25 July 1896, 67°53ʹN, 010°19ʹW, 1902 m)

Comparative material examined: Lycopodina hypogea ( Vacelet & Boury-Esnault, 1996) , two specimens from the Mediterranean 3PP cave; L. parvula ( Hestetun et al., 2015) , MNHN DJV163-168 .

Diagnosis: Small, pedunculate, Lycopodina with conical, apically oriented body with numerous filaments projecting upwards and outwards. Spicules are peduncle and body subtylostyles, and slightly smaller and finer filament subtylostyles. Microscleres palmate anisochelae only, 9–14 µm.

Description: Specimens pedunculate, with conical to ovoid bodies, most with filaments directed upwards and outwards from the sponge. Specimens attached to small pebbles with a small basal plate. Total length of the specimens c. 3–10 mm, with the peduncle 0.1–1 mm in diameter, and the body <1–1.5 mm in diameter. Colour in ethanol is white to slightly beige ( Fig. 34A).

Skeleton : The peduncle is composed of tightly packed subtylostyles bundles which diverge towards intheupperendformingtheskeletonofthe body. Subtylostyles radiate from the centre of the sponge making up the supporting skeleton of the filaments.