Taxonomic review of Hadromerida (Porifera, Demospongiae) from British Columbia, Canada, and adjacent waters, with the description of nine new species Author Austin, William C. Author Ott, Bruce S. Author Reiswig, Henry M. Author Romagosa, Paula Author G, Neil text Zootaxa 2014 3823 1 1 84 journal article 36829 10.11646/zootaxa.3823.1.1 cdc3964e-ebf3-491e-b10c-9ad6592cb0f0 1175-5326 286373 0D42FA17-3B11-4DBB-9E48-D7D505F9CE29 Sphaerotylus raphidophora n. sp. Figs. 12 A–D, 13A–F Etymology. The species name, raphidophora , reflects its raphide bearing character. FIGURE 12. Sphaerotylus raphidophora n. sp. A, whole specimen preserved in alcohol, scale bar 1 cm; B, section showing tracts of megascleres radiating out to ectosome with protruding exotyles, scale bar 2 mm; C, exotyles showing expanded and stylote end, scale bar 100 µm; D, detail of expanded end, scale bar 20 µm. FIGURE 13. Sphaerotylus raphidophora n. sp. (cont.) A, composite of all spicule types at same magnification, scale bar 500 µm; B, raphides, scale bar upper 3 µm and lower 5 µm; C, small tylostyles, scale bar 50 µm; D, small subtylostyle, scale bar 100 µm; E, medium tylostyle, scale bar 50 µm; F, large subtylostyle, scale bar 100 µm. Material examined. Holotype : USNM 1231336, NOAA 2004 Exploring Alaska's Seamounts Expedition, Alvin Dive 4040, Giacomini Seamount, Gulf of Alaska, ( 56º 25.43′N , 146º 22.28′W ), 862 m depth, Aug. 16, 2004 . Description. Macroscopic features. Specimen irregular button shape about 1.6–1.7 cm in diameter by 6.9 mm ( Fig. 12 A). No papillae present; however, one or more may have broken off. Colour in alcohol “yellow-brown”. Microscopic features. Skeleton composed of a palisade of megasleres, many with rounded tips protruding from the surface. Longitudal tracts of megascleres radiate out through the choanosome to end at the base of the ectosome ( Fig. 12 B). Spicules. Spicule complement includes exotyles ( Fig. 13 A), two classes of tylostyles (small, Fig 13 C, D), (medium, Fig. 13 E), large subtylostyles ( Fig. 13 F), and raphides ( Fig. 13 B). Megascleres in the ectosome include exotyles which have a granulated head ranging from stylote to tylote ( Fig. 12 C, D). They are strongylote rather than stylote at the other end. Small styles to tylostyles occur in the ectosome ( Fig. 13 C) while large subtylostyles form the longitudinal tracts in the choanosome ( Fig. 13 D). Additional medium size tylostyles occur between the tracts ( Fig. 13 E). Raphides bundled in trichodragmata ( Fig. 13 B) were found in samples from four different locations in the specimen. Holotype USNM 1231336 Remarks. We compared spicules in our species with those in Sphaerotylus species listed in the World Porifera Database (van Soest et al. 2012 ) ( Table 9 ).

Spicule Type	Fig.	Length	Width
Exotyle	13A	568–(890)–1374 N=40	26.0–(38.9)–49.9 N=36
Small tylostyle	13C, D	104–(172)–271 N=182	2.0–(3.6)–6.6 N=72
Medium tylostyle	13E	228–(418)–613 N=181	10.5–(13.4)–17.8 N=37
Large subtylostyle	13F	711–(1107)–1615 N=77	10.3–(20.4)–25.4 N=32
Raphide	13B	60.8–(72.4)–80.0 N=4

TABLE 9. Comparison of spicule sizes (Μm) and particularly the form and size of the exotyles in the species of Sphaerotylus listed in van Soest et al. (2012) with species described in this paper. The *denotes that size cut-off between medium and large subtylostyles could have been at about 500 Μm. Spicule type . Austin et al. Boury-Esnault Koltun Kirkpatrick Hentschel this paper 2002 1966 1908 1914 raphidophora capitatus schoenus capitatus vanhoeffeni s. Alaska Barents Sea Arctic Antarctic Antarctic Exotyles 568–1374 650–950 600–1250 760 504–1080 stylote-tylote tylote subtylote-tylote spherulote club granules granules granules granules granules Lg.subtylostyles 711–1615 753–950 650–1504 1120 840–1416 Med. tylostyles 228–613 314–656 416–605 ca. 365 272–480 Sm.subtylostyles 159–271 213 below part 218 Sm. tylostyles 104–174 109–141 96–230 ca. 150 104–136 Raphides 61–80 nil nil nil nil Spicle type Austin et al. Koltun / Plotkin Koltun / Plotkin Kirkpatrick Koltun this paper 1970/2002 1970/2002 1908 1966 verenae sceptrum exotylotus antarcticus borealis Off BC / NW Pacific NW Pacific Antarctic Barents Sea Washington Exotyles 1008–1459 200–250 500–850 8000 5000–7500 stylote-subtylote scepter-club chalice style-mushroom mushroom The exotyles and large tylostyles of our species are approximately the same size range as those reported by Koltun (1966) for S. capitatus ( Koltun, 1966 as S. schoenus ). Sphaerotylus schoenus is currently considered a junior synonym of S. capitatus . However, Sollas (1882) only named the species, giving no description nor declaring a type specimen. Sphaerotylus schoenus was considered a nomen nudum by e.g., Kirkpatrick (1908) and Boury-Esnault (2002) .

smooth	granules	granules	granules	granules
Lg.subtylostyles	1075–1373*	600–1400	700–1700	2800	1100–2100
Med. tylostyles	384–1046*	370–600	200–500	400	200–792
Sm.subtylostyles	200–400
Sm. tylostyles	96–142	100–160	100–180	146	102–160
Raphides	nil	nil	nil	nil	nil

Our species differs from all other described species of Sphaerotylus in having raphides in trichodragmata. These were obvious in samples taken from four different locations in the specimen, and are unlikely to be contaminants. The raphides are not simple cylinders but have lateral branches. Raphides are not unknown among the Polymastiidae . They occur in the genus Spinularia ( Boury-Esnault 2002 ) . Sphaerotylus raphidophora also differs from S. capitatus , S. schoenus of Koltun 1966 , and S. exotylotus Koltun 1970 in having longer exotyles and from S. antarcticus Kirkpatrick 1907 and S. borealis Swarschewsky 1906 in having much shorter exotyles ( Table 9 ). The large subtylostyles of S. raphidophora are also longer than those in S. capitatus . The mushroom shaped exotyles of S. antarcticus and S. borealis differ from those of all other described species of Sphaerotylus . Conclusions. We propose that our specimen be considered a new species, S. raphidophora , but additional material should be examined from the vicinity of the type locality. Bathymetric range. 862 m depth. Geographic distribution. Giacomini Seamount, Gulf of Alaska.