Ascaltis angusta, Van Soest & De Voogd, 2015

Van Soest, Rob W. M. & De Voogd, Nicole J., 2015, Calcareous sponges of Indonesia, Zootaxa 3951 (1), pp. 1-105 : 44-47

publication ID

https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3951.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E7007E10-EC53-4B2E-9F9F-26E18B46AD8B

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/250587A2-A93E-FFBB-FF76-1F10FDAE7C70

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Ascaltis angusta
status

sp. nov.

Ascaltis angusta sp.nov.

Figures 32a–d View FIGURE 32 , 33a–d View FIGURE 33

Material examined. Holotype ZMA Por. 09097, Indonesia, SE Sulawesi, Salayar, NW coast of Pulau Guang , 6.35°S 120.45°E, depth 2–4 m, SCUBA, coll. R. W.M. van Soest, Indonesian-Dutch Snellius II Expedition stat. 152/II/ Cave 1/06. GoogleMaps

Paratypes ZMA Por. 08221a (ten individual cormi), Indonesia, SE Sulawesi, Tukang Besi Islands, southern reef of Karang Kaledupa , 5.9333°S 123.8°E, depth 4–11 m GoogleMaps , SCUBA, coll. R. W.M. van Soest, Indonesian-Dutch Snellius II Expedition stat. 016 / III/10 , 8 September 1984 .

Description. ( Figs 32a–b View FIGURE 32 ) Tight masses of thin tubes, surrounding a thin slit-like pseudoatrium (arrow in Fig. 32a View FIGURE 32 ). Individual specimens often occurring in small patches of a few cm 2, connected by single tubes to form a cormus-network. Size variable, the holotype ( Fig. 32a View FIGURE 32 ) is 2 cm long and maximally 1.2 cm wide. Live color white, but in alcohol this turns into yellow or beige. Oscules few, at the apices of single water-collecting tubes.

Skeleton. ( Figs 32c–d View FIGURE 32 ) Tube system on the outside covered with a thin, often damaged membrane consisting of a single spicule layer ( Fig. 32c View FIGURE 32 ). Granular cells abound in the surface ( Fig. 32d View FIGURE 32 ). Underneath, the tubes have thin walls of usual two layers of spicules ( Fig. 32d View FIGURE 32 ).

Spicules. ( Figs 33a–d View FIGURE 33 ) Small triactines and tetractines of variable but similar shape, partially slightly or more distinctly parasagittal.

Triactines, equiactinal, ( Fig. 33a View FIGURE 33 ) length of actines 72– 101.8 –196 x 6– 9.1 –13 µm; parasagittal triactines ( Figs 33c View FIGURE 33 ) with unpaired actines 180–198 µm, and shorter paired actines.

Tetractines, equiactinal ( Fig. 33b View FIGURE 33 ) with actines of basal radiate system 80– 103.4 –126 x 6– 8.6 –11 µm, smooth apical actines 45–105 x 4–6 µm; parasagittal tetractines ( Fig. 33d View FIGURE 33 ) with unpaired actines 120–186 µm, paired actines shorter.

Ecology. Shallow water reefs, often in caves.

Distribution. Indonesia.

Etymology. The word angustus (L.) means narrow, tight, referring to the tight anastomosis of the tubes of the cormus in this species.

Remarks. Because the habitus of our new species with its pseudoatrium and its tight-meshed cormus matches the definition of the genus Ascaltis , we believe it is a likely member of that genus. The thin membrane enclosing the whole cormus is not always clearly visible and appears present only in places (preserved material). The new species shows considerable resemblance to Ascaltis gardineri (Dendy, 1913) (as Leucosolenia ), previously considered a member of Clathrina (cf. Klautau & Valentine 2003), but subsequently assigned to Ascaltis by Klautau et al. 2013). However, there are distinct differences in the spicules. Klautau & Valentine (2013: 26) in their redescription of the type material noticed the occurrence of two distinct size categories with differently shaped apical actines of the tetractines. No parasagittal spicules occur in A. gardineri .

Genus Leucascus Dendy, 1893a

ZMA

Universiteit van Amsterdam, Zoologisch Museum

R

Departamento de Geologia, Universidad de Chile

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Porifera

Class

Calcarea

Order

Clathrinida

Family

Leucascidae

Genus

Ascaltis

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