New data on glass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida) of the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Part 2. Aphrocallistidae, Euretidae, Euplectellidae and Rossellidae (with descriptions of two new species of Sympagella)

Abstract

Species of hexactinellid sponges (families Aphrocallistidae, Euretidae, Euplectellidae, and Rossellidae) collected on the ECOMAR expeditions of the RRS James Cook to the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge are considered. Two species new to science of the genus Sympagella (Rossellidae, Lanuguinellinae) are described: S. cooki sp. nov. has as a unique feature the absence of discoidal and onychoidal outer ends in microscleres; Sympagella ecomari sp. nov. has the only types of microscleres represented by plumicomes and spicules with discoidal outer ends. A new name, Bathydorus levis pseudospinosus, is suggested for Bathydorus levis spinosus Wilson, 1904 (junior homonym) to avoid homonymy with Bathydorus spinosus Schulze, 1886 (senior homonym).

Keywords:

• Porifera
• Hexactinellida
• new species
• Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark

Acknowledgements

Special thanks to Professor Imants G. Priede for advice and correction of the style of English. We thank the UK NERC-funded ECOMAR consortium (NE/C512961/1) for access to the RRS James Cook samples from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Also we are grateful for financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs granted to the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the MAR-ECO project.

Notes

Published in collaboration with the University of Bergen and the Institute of Marine Research, Norway, and the Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, Denmark