Inflatella belli Kirkpatrick 1907

Inflatella belli (Kirkpatrick, 1907)

(Fig. 3 H)

Inflatella belli (Kirkpatrick): Burton 1929: 439–440. Koltun 1964: 50, pl. 8, figs. 1–3, 1976: 178.

Synonymy:

Inflatella fistulosa Hentschel, 1914: 83 –84, pl. 4, fig. 8, pl. 6, fig. 8. Joyeuxia belli Kirkpatrick, 1907: 283 –284, 1908: 41–42, pl. 16, figs. 1–5a.

Material. 1 specimen from station 048-1 (SMF 11811), 602.1 m, 70° 23.94' S, 8° 19.14' W, 12.01.2008. Material examined for comparison: BMNH 1908.2.5.188, holotype, National Antarctic Expedition HMS “Discovery”, W.Q. 17.i–03, Flagon Point, 10–20 fms., described in Kirkpatrick (1908), wet specimen.

Description. Sponge rounded with a thin papilla at the top, torn open on one side, inside is empty. Surface a very firm membrane with a dense layer of strongylote or tornote-like spicules of 645–785 x 15 µm.

Remarks. This species has been recorded several times (e.g. Kirkpatrick 1908; Hentschel 1914; Burton 1929; Koltun 1964; Koltun 1976) and can therefore be considered well known. Our new specimen is in accordance with the type description of I. belli by Kirkpatrick (1908) and especially with that of I. fistulosa Hentschel, 1914, a junior synonym of I. belli (see Burton 1929).