Rediscovery of the type material of Spongilla lacustris (L., 1759) in the Linnean herbarium

Abstract

The type material of Spongilla lacustris, recently found in the Linnean herbarium, is described. Type locality and present distribution are shown. Morphological diagnostic traits are described by SEM microphotography. This is the single species of Porifera out of 12 described by Linnaeus in 1759, with type specimen known. A lectotype is selected from two syntypes.

Keywords:

• Freshwater sponges
• Spongillidae
• Taxonomy ‐Morphology
• SEM
• Holartic distribution
• Historical naturalistic collections.