Scutoplites batmani, Reverter-Gil & Souto & Berning, 2025

Scutoplites batmani sp. nov.

( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 ; Table 7 View TABLE 7 )

Notoplites marsupiatus View in CoL : d’Hondt 1985: 41; d’Hondt & Schopf 1985: 913 (part).

Not Notoplites marsupiatus View in CoL : d’Hondt & Schopf 1985: 913 (part). [= S. virgulus n. sp.?, see above]

Material examined. Holotype: MNHN-IB-2022-575 : Abyplaine stn. DS10, 42°51.2’– 42°49.9’N, 15°55.3’– 15°56.6’W, 4270–4360 m (d’Hondt 1985 as N. marsupiatus ) (separated from MNHN-IB-2008-12051) ( Fig. 10 E, F View FIGURE 10 ) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: MNHN-IB-2022-576 : Abyplaine stn. CP03, 36°48.7’– 36°49.4’N, 19°09.2’– 19°09.8’W, 4900–4960 m (d’Hondt 1985 as N. marsupiatus ) (separated from MNHN-IB-2008-12064) ( Fig. 10 A, B, D View FIGURE 10 ) GoogleMaps . MNHN-IB-2022- 574 : Atlantis II , cruise 31, stn. 155, 0°03’0’’S, 27°48’0’’W, 3730–3783 m, 13 Feb. 1967 ( d’Hondt & Schopf 1985 as N. marsupiatus ) (separated from MNHN-IB-2008-11966) ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 GoogleMaps ).

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Batman, since the scutum would correspond to the cape and the distal spines to the bat ears of the famous fictional character. Moreover, this species lives in eternal darkness.

Description. Colony erect, dichotomously branching, attached to the substrate by rhizoids produced from a small pore near the proximal end on the abfrontal side of some autozooids. Branches formed by two series of alternating autozooids opening on one side only. Branching points composed of a single proximomedian autozooid and two distolateral ones. Autozooids elongate, slightly narrower and tubular proximally, with the distal half of the autozooid turned outwards alternatingly to right or left. Distal third of the autozooid occupied by an oval membranous area, covered proximally by a convex flabelliform scutum, semielliptical, slightly longer than wide, attached to the inner proximal angle of orifice; scutum margin almost merging with the circum-opesial gymnocyst; 7–11 narrow fissures of variable length, lacking on the inner edge, arranged obliquely and directed proximally and outwards. Two spines proximolaterally to the orifice and two distal to it, all of them stout and pointed, the distal ones usually larger. Some autozooids may exhibit fewer spines. In addition, a spine may be present at the external distal angle of the scutum. Orifice wider than long. Operculum thickly sclerotised.

Adventitious avicularia of two kinds: a small one situated lateral to orifice, directly at the base of the outer proximal spine, with the triangular mandible obliquely directed outwards; another small avicularium on a raised cystid directly proximally to scutum, its triangular mandible directed proximally. Mandibles in both avicularia hinged on inconspicuous condyles.

Ovicell observed once, prominent, resting on the proximal part of the distal autozooid, slightly longer than wide, surface somewhat uneven and with a proximomedian drop-shaped fenestra pointing proximally, the proximolateral ooecial margins extending towards mid-distance of lateral orifice rim, ovicell opening well arched above orifice.

An ancestrula was not observed.

Remarks. Scutoplites batmani sp. nov. shares with S. reverteri n. comb. the stout, pointed spines, although the latter species has a total of six spines, not four. In any case, S. batmani sp. nov. clearly differs from all the species treated here due to its scutum, which has long and fine, obliquely oriented fissures.

We have revised the only two samples reported by d’Hondt (1985 as N. marsupiatus ) from two distant NE Atlantic stations: c. 250 km west of Galicia Bank at 4270–4360 m depth ( Fig. 10E, F View FIGURE 10 ), and halfway between the Azores and Madeira at 4900–4960 m depth ( Fig. 10A, B, D View FIGURE 10 ). They are here designated as, respectively, holotype and paratype of the species. Additionally, one colony reported by d’Hondt & Schopf (1985, as N. marsupiatus , in part) from the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 3730–3783 m depth, also probably belongs to the same species ( Fig. 10C View FIGURE 10 ).