Hooperia, 2019

HOOPERIA MORROW View in CoL GEN. NOV.

( FIGS 21D–F, 22A–D)

Diagnosis: Erect, globular, cylindrical digitate growth form. Surface with non-detachable dermis with distinctive, evenly distributed areolated porefields up to 2.5 mm in diameter. Choanosome consisting of ascending, meandering, anastomosing bundles of strongyles. Around papillae/areolae the spicule bundles diverge. Ectosome heavy layer of collagen containing rugose oxea arranged paratangentially to surface. Megascleres are straight, slender strongyles with symmetrical rounded ends. Microscleres are slender, straight or only slightly curved rugose oxea with tapering ends.

Type species: Higginsia anfractuosa Hooper & Lévi, 1993 (p. 1455, figs 39, 40), herein designated.

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6423AD93-0EC7-4831-9FFF-399257E64E64

Remarks: This genus is erected for Higginsia anfractuosa . In assigning this species to Higginsia, Hooper & Lévi (1993) emphasized the presence of acanthoxea and raphides of two size classes. They stated that morphologically it was most similar to Higginsia lunata Carter, 1885 in growth form, papillose surface features and skeletal architecture and that both species are atypical of other Higginsia . Re-examination of the holotypes of Desmoxya lunata and Desmoxya pelagiae using SEM ( Figs 19, 20, respectively) showed that the ‘raphides’ were spined, similar to the onychaetes in Tedaniidae . Re-examination of the holotype of Higginsia anfractuosa showed that the ‘acanthoxea’ described by Hooper & Lévi (1993) were slender rugose oxea unlike the crescent-shaped acanthoxea in Desmoxya . Thin spicules resembling raphides were present, but they were approximately the same sizes as the strongyles and oxea, and we would interpret them as developing spicules rather than raphides.

Morphologically, we consider Hooperia anfractuosa comb. nov. most similar to Hemimycale . Both Hemimycale and Hooperia share conspicuous, raised areolated porefields supported by parallel columns of erect strongyles ( Fig. 21C, F, respectively). The choanosomal skeleton in Hemimycale and Hooperia consists of bundles of strongyles that branch and anastomose infrequently ( Fig. 21A, D, respectively). Hooperia can be distinguished from other hymedesmiid genera by the presence of a surface layer of rugose oxea ( Fig. 22C) that are morphologically distinct from the acanthoxea in Crellidae .

According to the family diagnoses given by Hooper & Van Soest (2002), Hooperia would be placed in Crellidae Dendy, 1922 , because it has a tangential layer of rugose/ acanthose oxea. However, the CO1 gene tree (Supporting Information, Fig. S4) shows Hooperia anfractuosa clustering with Hemimycale : Hymedesmiidae . Morphologically, the skeletal architecture and spicule morphology in Hooperia anfractuosa ( Fig. 21D, E) are more similar to Hemimycale columella ( Fig. 21A, B) than to Crella elegans . Therefore, we have assigned Hooperia to Hymedesmiidae .

Etymology: This genus is named in honour of Dr John Hooper, Head of Biodiversity & Geosciences Program, Queensland Museum, Australia, for his major contribution to sponge taxonomy.

HOOPERIA ANFRACTUOSA ( HOOPER & LÉVI,