Deep-sea “ lithistid ” assemblages from the Norfolk Ridge (New Caledonia), with description of seven new species and a new genus (Porifera, Demospongiae) Author Schlacher-Hoenlinger, Monika A. Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101 (Australia) monikas @ qm. qld. gov. au Author Pisera, Andrzej Polska Akademia Nauk, ul. Twarda 51 / 55, 00 - 818 Warszawa (Poland) apis @ twarda. pan. pl Author Hooper, John N. A. Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane 4101 (Australia) johnh @ qm. qld. gov. au text Zoosystema 2005 27 4 649 698 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.5393958 1638-9387 5393958 Reidispongia tuberculata n. sp. ( Figs 4C ; 19 ; 33 ) HOLOTYPE . — New Caledonian Slope, 22°52’22”S , 167°12’27”E , 340-381 m , RV Alis , 28.VI.2001 , Warén dredge, coll. T. Schlacher ( MNHN DCL 3907 , a fragment of the holotype in QM [G318677s). ETYMOLOGY. — Named for the tuberculation of desmas. DESCRIPTION Growth form Massive shallow cup/bowl-shaped with thick walls, round margins and a simple base. The examined specimen is about 3 cm high, 5.5 cm wide and has a 2 cm broad base. Colour Light blue to dirty white in etoh. Oscules Not visible. Texture Hard, stony. Surface ornamentation Rough. Ectosomal skeleton Smooth dichotriaenes and some long oxeas occur on both surfaces. Microscleres in the ectosome are amphiasters/streptasters with short and massive rays covered by numerous low spines and rounded, blunt tips. Choanosomal skeleton The relatively dense choanosomal skeleton consists of strongly tuberculated tetraclone desmas. Microscleres in the choanosome are amphiasters/streptasters which are covered with hook-like spines and have long and slender rays with pointed ends. Megascleres Tetraclone desmas are thick, and more or less evenly covered by numerous mushroom-shaped, round, invariably smooth tubercles: 700- 750 µm/35-65 µm. Dichotriaenes: 350-400 µm long × 150-440 µm (diameter of the cladome). Oxeas: 1200-1800 µm × 10-15 µm. Microscleres Massive amphiasters/streptasters: 12.6-13.8 × 10.1-11.7 µm. Streptasters with long pointed rays: (very variable) 14.4-37.2 × 12.9-30.4 µm. REMARKS This species slightly resembles Reidispongia coerulea in its blue live colouration and microsclere spiculation. Upon closer investigation, however, it is distinguished from that species in differences in morphology (cup-shaped and very thick walled, while R. coerulea has very thin folded walls), and desmas (which are strongly tuberculated, with rounded mushroom-like tubercles [ Fig. 19 Ds as compared to smooth zygomes in R. coerulea [ Fig. 20 Fs).