Cladocroce gaussiana Hentschel 1914

Cladocroce gaussiana (Hentschel, 1914)

(Fig. 10 G)

Cladocroce gaussiana (Hentschel, 1914): de Weerdt 2002: 857, fig. 5.

Synonymy:

Callyspongia gaussiana (Hentschel, 1914): Sarà et al. 1992: 580. Haliclona gaussiana (Hentschel, 1914): Burton 1932: 266. Koltun 1964: 98–99, 1976: 195. Siphonochalina gaussiana Hentschel, 1914: 136, pl. 4, fig. 17, pl. 8, fig. 17. Toxiclona gaussiana (Hentschel, 1914): de Laubenfels 1954: 73.

Material. 1 specimen from station 048-1 (SMF 11837), 602.1 m, 70° 23.94' S, 8° 19.14' W, 12.01.2008.

Description. Small fragment of a lamellar sponge, about 10 x 20 x 5 mm. Surface with regularly arranged pores. Spicules oxeas about 280 x 10 µm. Skeleton arranged in long tracts about 5 oxeas in diameter, with secondary skeleton of single oxeas arranged anisotropic to renieroid between the tracts.

Remarks. The species is well characterized and illustrated by the descriptions in Hentschel (1914), Koltun (1964) and de Weerdt (2002). Our fragmentary specimen fits well within these descriptions. The only remarkable difference between our specimen and the above mentioned is the absence of toxas in the new specimen. We consider this to be an individual character of the sponge which does not interfere with the otherwise clear identification.