New data on sponges from Svalbard Archipelago with a description of a new species of Halicnemia

Sponge fauna from the west and south of Svalbard archipelago was studied. A total of 28 species of sponges were identified. Five of them are new records to the study area and one is new to science. New records for Spitsbergen are: Axinella hispida (Koltun 1959), Haliclona rossica (Hentschel 1929), Myxilla (Myxilla) perspinosa (Lundbeck 1905), Sphaerotylus borealis (Swartschewsky 1906) and Suberites carnosus (Johnston 1842). A new species of sponge, Halicnemia wagini sp. nov., collected south-west of Spitsbergen on the continental slope at a depth of 423–425 m, is described. It is similar to Halicnemia patera (Bowerbank 1864) and H. verticillata (Bowerbank 1866) in skeleton architecture, but significantly differs in its spicule complement and external appearance. Primarily, distinct differences concern the morphology of microscleres. In comparison with Halicnemia patera, the new species has an additional category of acanthose microscleres presented by microstrongyles, while microscleres of H. verticillata are only slightly curved and also verticillately spined. The study area, west of Spitsbergen, establishes close relationships with North Atlantic due to warm Atlantic waters of the West Spitsbergen Current. Proximity of the new species to the North Atlantic representatives of Halicnemia genus allowed us to suggest that H. wagini sp. nov., both ecologically and morphologically, has stood apart as a distinct biological species in the conditions of the Arctic.

http://www.zoobank.org/lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2A09537B-63D7-4F07-A2AB-9C707A686333     

Raspailiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Axinellida) from the Mexican Pacific Ocean with the description of seven new species

The taxonomy of the family Raspailiidae has always been controversial. The family was first included in the order Poecilosclerida. It was then allocated to the order Axinellida and later moved back to Poecilosclerida. Currently with the development of molecular tools it has been assigned to the order Axinellida. In this contribution we describe 10 species from the Mexican Pacific Ocean. Seven of them are new to science: Raspailia (Parasyringella) rubra sp. nov., Raspailia (Raspaxilla) hymani (Dickinson 1945 Dickinson, MG. 1945. Sponges on the Gulf of California. Allan Hancock Pac Exp, 11(1): 1–251.  [Google Scholar]), Raspailia (Raspaxilla) hyle (de Laubenfels 1930 de Laubenfels, MW. 1930. The sponges of California. (Abstracts of dissertations for the degree of doctor of philosophy). Stanford Univ Bull, 5(98): 24–29.  [Google Scholar]), Aulospongus cerebella (Dickinson 1945 Dickinson, MG. 1945. Sponges on the Gulf of California. Allan Hancock Pac Exp, 11(1): 1–251.  [Google Scholar]), Aulospongus californianus sp. nov., Aulospongus aurantiacus sp. nov., Eurypon patriciae sp. nov., Eurypon tylospinosum sp. nov., Eurypon diversicolor sp. nov. and Eurypon brunus sp. nov. We discuss the genus Eurypon and include a table for all the species described worldwide with some comments about this genus. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:D462084B-EE9C-4C61-884A-C9DB70003B4A     

On the genus Racekiela in Mexico: molecular and morphological description of Racekiela cresciscrystae n. sp.

ABSTRACT

In Mexico, there are currently two known species of Racekiela: R. ryderii and R. montemflumina. Here we describe a new species from high-altitude streams in central and southern Mexico. Racekiela cresciscrystae sp. nov. presents two morphotypes: thick encrusting with raised ridges or lobose outgrowths at the surface and dark green in colour, or lime-green encrustations. The new species as megascleres presents microspined oxeas from 200 to 300 µm long, some centrotylote, or with malformations. Gemmules are spherical with a tri-layered theca, constituted by radially embedded birotules and pseudobirotules. The birotules have longer shaft than the rotule diameter, which is flat, and some slightly umbonate. Pseudobirotules of typical morphology have strongly or somewhat spined shaft. Spines can be straight or hooked. The species also presents other type of pseudobirotules, which are umbonate and with only small warts, instead of spines. DNA sequences from the nuclear ITS1-5.8-ITS2 region were sequenced from the holotype and a paratype of the new species to determine their phylogenetic relationships with other members of the family Spongillidae. Tree topologies (Bayesian Inference and Maximum Likelihood) were consistent in showing Racekiela creciscrystae sp. nov. as a sister clade of R. montemflumina confirming its allocation in a monophyletic genus Racekiela. A comparison with all the Racekiela species described so far is also included. This paper increases the number of species of freshwater sponges in Mexico, and confirmed that Racekiela is a monophyletic genus with morphological characters very well defined.

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:3769C54F-23C4-409A-AF02-81F3AA084F7A

http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A512359D-E428-4D04-B08A-E189E3F6F962     

Circular proteoglycans from sponges: first members of the spongican family

Species-specific cell adhesion in marine sponges is mediated by a new family of modular proteoglycans whose general supramolecular structure resembles that of hyalectans. However, neither their protein nor their glycan moieties have significant sequence homology to other proteoglycans, despite having protein subunits equivalent to link proteins and to proteoglycan monomer core proteins, and glycan subunits equivalent to hyaluronan and to the glycosaminoglycans of hyalectans. In some species, these molecular components are assembled into a structure with a circular core formed by the link protein- and hyaluronan-like subunits. Besides their involvement in cell adhesion, these sponge proteoglycans, for which we propose the term spongicans, participate in signal transduction processes and are suspected to play a role in sponge self-nonself recognition. Their in vivo roles and the mild methods used to purify large amounts of functionally active spongicans make them ideal models to study the functions and possible new applications of proteoglycans in biomedical research. Received 21 May 2002; received after revision 5 July 2002; accepted 10 July 2002 RID="*" ID="*"Corresponding author.     

XXXIX.—The Hippoboscidæ (Diptera) recorded from Ceylon

Summary

The most profitable ways of collecting chalcids are discussed, namely by sweeping, suction sampler, beating, pyrethrum spray, rearing, Malaise traps, yellow pan traps, suction traps, pitfall traps and extraction from leaf litter or grass tussocks. Methods of preserving chalcids are also outlined, with particular emphasis on storing all unmounted material dry rather than in alcohol. The techniques of sweeping, card mounting specimens and slide preparation are described in detail.     

The astrorhizae of fossil stromatoporoids closely approximate an energetically optimal fluid transport system

Direct measurements on 375 million year old stromatoporoid sponges show that the astrorhizal canals (excurrent flow channels) have a near-optimal architecture; they are configured such that the energetic costs to construct and operate these fluid transport systems averaged only 2.54% above those of equivalent Murray's Law systems, the theoretical minimum. The average cost incurred by the fluid transport system in stromatoporoids was a factor of three closer to the Murray's Law optimum than are vessel networks in the circulatory system of mammals.     

Tetraradial symmetry in early poriferans

Here is currently little consensus on the branching order and phyletic status of the oldest metazoan groups, but sponges are widely believed to be the earliest- branching living metazoans. Porifera are thought to have diverged before the emergence of developmental charac- ters typical of Eumetazoa, such as well-defined symmetry; extant sponges show radial symmetry of indeterminate high order, or none, combined with polarisation along the axis. In contrast, other early-branching phyla include bilateral and tetraradial （Cnidaria） and biradial （Cte- nophora） symmetry, or none （Placozoa）. A variety of prismatic early fossil sponges had shown here where the shared symmetry has been overlooked, and also describe structural tetraradial symmetry in Cambrian sponges from South China. Based on this study, this symmetry is likely to have been a primitive feature of sponges, and that the earliest-known fossil sponges were highly organised, cel- lularly integrated individuals whose body form was under strict genetic control.     

Morphology and natural history of the cryptogenic sponge associate Polydora colonia Moore, 1907 (Polychaeta: Spionidae)

The polychaete Polydora colonia is a widely distributed symbiont of sponges that has been reported as introduced into the Mediterranean Sea. Polydora colonia is re-described based on specimens associated with the sponges Microciona prolifera and Halichondria bowerbanki from New York and aspects of its reproduction and feeding biology are described for the first time. The morphology of P. colonia agrees with previous reports of this species. Females of P. colonia deposited egg capsules (14–19 eggs/capsule) in their tubes on sponges and adelphophagy was observed. Larvae appear to be competent to settle on hosts at the 13-chaetiger stage. One commensal ciliate and one parasitic copepod were found associated with P. colonia. P. colonia as an introduced species is evaluated based on current evidence. Sponge material was observed in the gut of > 50% of the worms examined but further studies are needed to evaluate whether P. colonia is selectively feeding on M. prolifera.     

Phorbas posidoni n.sp. (Porifera: Poecilosclerida) from the Aegean Sea,with a discussion of the family Anchinoidae

A new species of the genus Phorbas Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864 (junior synonym Anchinoe Gray, 1867) is described from the Aegean Sea (Eastern Mediterranean). Phorbas posidoni n.sp. is distinguished from the known Mediterranean species of Phorbas primarily by its elaborate repent-ramose habit combined with an extensive, spongin-enforced, plumoreticulate skeleton of oxea-like tornotes and the usual echinating acanthostyles and arcuate chelae. As in most Phorbas the surface bears characteristic areolae. The only other elaborate Mediterranean species, P. mercator (Schmidt) differs clearly in spiculation, since it lacks microscleres and has strongyles as the main skeletal elements. Phorbas fictitius (Bowerbank), P. tenacior (Topsent) and P. paupertas sensu Topsent are all incrusting and differ in spicule form and sizes as well. Likewise, Phorbas species from the neighbouring East Atlantic each show clear differences with P. posidoni n.sp. The genus Phorbas is discussed and compared with Pronax Gray (1867) sensu Lévi (1973). It is proposed to unite the two genera because the alleged sharp difference between the two (only oxea-like tornotes in the skeletal tracts in Phorbas, only acanthostyles in the skeletal tracts in Pronax) is compromised by a range of intermediate conditions in various species.     

Reproduction and morphology of Polydorella (Polychaeta: Spionidae), including the description of a new species from the Philippines

A new spionid polychaete, Polydorella kamakamai, associated with sponges is described from the Philippines. Polydorella kamakamai is characterized by acicular neurosetae in segments 2–7, a fifth segment containing a ventral row of spines with digitiform bosses, and lack of branchiae. As in all members of the genus, P. kamakamai undergoes asexual reproduction via paratomy; the process of paratomy is examined through scanning electron and light microscopy. This species exhibits a growth zone following segment 10, leading to the production of stolon individuals budding from the stock individual; five or more individuals can thus be formed in a single chain. Paratomic division typically occurs in chains containing four to five individuals and as a result colonies are dominated by chains of two individuals. Sexual reproduction is documented for only the second time in the genus; P. kamakamai produces eggs in segments 13–15. Asexual reproduction and fine morphological structure of the ventral spines of the fifth segment are examined by SEM in P. dawydoffi and P. stolonifera. Polydorella dawydoffi is recorded for the first time from the Philippines and the Red Sea and these are compared to type specimens from Vietnam. The ventral spines of P. dawydoffi contain eight or nine rounded or pointed teeth along the apical end and a capillary extension not previously observed with light microscopy. Notes on feeding biology, parasitism by copepods, and a discussion of the evolutionary relationships of Polydorella and other polydorids are provided.