Heteroxya corticata, TOPSENT, 1898

HETEROXYA CORTICATA TOPSENT, 1898 View in CoL

( FIG. 16A–D)

Material examined: Syntypes MOM-INV-22538, Topsent, 1888, Azores, stn 578, 869, depth 1165

m, 1240 m Collections du Prince Albert Ier de Monaco.

DNA sequences: The CO 1 Folmer fragment (GenBank accession no. KP939318 View Materials ) is from the holotype .

Remarks: Figure 16A is a photograph of an ethanolpreserved specimen from the type lot. It is dirty beige in colour, with a hispid surface and is growing on coral. Figure 16B is a photomicrograph showing the large oxea that often have a characteristic double flex. The large oxea measure 1600– 1700 –2000 µm × 26– 32– 37 µm. The ends of the oxea occasionally have some microspination ( Fig. 16C). The small oxea ( Fig. 16D) measure 235– 310– 420 µm × 12–23 µm. The spination is more pronounced in the smaller oxea, particularly towards the ends of the oxea, but some spination may also be present over the entire surface of the spicule.