Lophocalyx profundum Janussen & Reiswig, 2009, n. sp.

• Main Authors: Janussen, Dorte, Reiswig, Henry M.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Porifera; Hexactinellida; Lyssacinosida; Rossellidae; Lophocalyx; Lophocalyx profundum; Weddell Sea; Anchorage; Weddell; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/5611962; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5611962

Lophocalyx profundum n. sp. (Figs. 4 & 5, Table 2) Material examined: Holotype, SMF 10524, ANDEEP III, R.V. 'Polarstern', stn PS 67 /080- 6, Weddell Sea, Antarctica, 22 Feb. 2005, 70° 40.23 'S, 14 ° 43.78 'W to 70 ° 40.42 'S, 14 ° 43.83 'W, 3006 – 2978 m, ethanol. Paratypes: SMF 10605, and SMF 10604, same data Description: All three specimens are small globular, nearly spherical forms (Figs 4 A–C), 19–23 mm in diameter, with small terminal osculum 4–9 mm in diameter with smooth margins (without marginalia). Short basal extensions project from the lower margin, increasing contact with the substratum; attachment appears to be a combination of both direct (basiphytous) anchorage to small pebbles and insinuation of anchorate prostalia into sediments (lophophytous). All external surfaces carry prostalia projecting individually (not in tufts) up to 23 mm; these consist of a mixture of three spicule types: stout diactins, raised hypodermal anchorate pentactins, and raised regular hypodermal pentactins. Anchorate pentactins have not been found in the paratypes but since the distal ends of all prostalia are broken, they may well have been present in raised position before collection. The atrial cavity is deep and narrow; the body wall is up to 6 mm in thickness. The general surface is smooth, tissues are soft but well supported by spicules, and the color is light brown (khaki). Spicule fusion does not occur in any of the specimens. Megascleres (dimensions in Table 2) consist of hypodermal (and prostal) anchorate pentactins, hypodermal (and prostal) regular pentactins, diactine dermalia, pinular hexactine atrialia, thick prostal and primary diactins, and thin choanosomal diactins. Anchorate hypodermalia (Figs. 4 E, 5 A) have tangential rays bent abruptly back from 30 to 90 ° near their mid-points; they are covered with fine spines (shagreen) but the proximal ray is smooth. Ray tips are parabolic-rounded or bullet-shape. Regular hypodermal (and prostal) pentactins (Fig. 5 B) have straight to undulatory tangential rays; ...