Leucetta solida ( Schmidt, 1862 )

Leucetta solida ( Schmidt, 1862) View in CoL

( Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 )

Grantia solida Schmidt, 1862: 18 , Taf I., 7.

Leuconia solida, Rützler 1965: 8 .

Material examined: ESFM-POR/2017-477 , S17(a), 0–2 m, on Posidonia oceanica , 3 specimens , ESFM-POR/2017- 728 , S26, 25 m, on cave wall, 3 specimens , ESFM-POR/2017-632 , S29, 15 m, on cave wall, 4 specimens , ESFM-POR/2017-165 , S33, 0.5 m, on P. oceanica , 2 specimens .

Description: It is an oval sponge that is slightly flattened on the sides. The surface is hispid. It has a creamy colour in alcohol ( Figure 7a View FIGURE 7 ). It has a rather fragile consistency, easily torn into apart. The skeleton is composed of irregularly intertwined triactines (900–2400 × 40–200 µm) ( Figure 7b View FIGURE 7 1 View FIGURE 1 ) and tetractins (800–600 × 40–80 µm, Figure 7b View FIGURE 7 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Skeletons do not contain diaxones.

Habitat and distribution: This species was previously found on rocks at 2–40 m ( Longo & Pronzato 2011; de Voogd et al. 2024) in the Tyrrhenian ( Rützler 1966), Adriatic ( Schmidt 1864, Rützler 1965), Ionian ( Corriero 1989) and Aegean ( Pansini et al. 2000) Seas. It is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea ( de Voogd et al. 2024). It is a new record for the Turkish marine fauna.