<strong>Taxonomic review of Hadromerida (Porifera, Demospongiae) from British Columbia, Canada, and adjacent waters, with the description of nine new species</strong>

Abstract

The history of sponge collecting and systematics in British Columbia is reviewed over the period 1878 to 1966. Recent additions and changes are provided in an on-line species list: www.mareco/org/kml/projects/NEsponges.asp. Hadromerids are the focus of this paper as eight of 19 species in British Columbia are considered new. An additional new species is described from southern California to clarify the status of Tethya californiana in BC. An update is timely for hadromerids in BC as there is new material and renewed interest, while existing descriptions are often inadequate. We describe new species and provide additions to previous descriptions for sponges of the order Hadromerida (Porifera: Demospongiae) in the cold temperate NE Pacific off British Columbia and adjacent waters. We propose one range extension and one new species in Clionaidae; two range extensions and five new species in Polymastiidae; one range extension, two name changes and two new species in Suberitidae; and one new species in Tethyidae. New species include Pione gibraltarensis n.sp., Polymastia piscesae n. sp., Radiella endeavourensis n. sp., Sphaerotylus raphidophora n. sp., Sphaerotylus verenae n. sp., Weberella perlucida n. sp., Prosuberites saanichensis n. sp., Suberites lambei n. sp., and Tethya vacua n. sp..

Polymastiidae (Demospongiae: Hadromerida) with ornamented exotyles: a review of morphological affinities and description of a new genus and three new species

“…However, we have not examined the Kerguelen and South African specimens described by Boury-Esnault & van Beveren (1982) and Uriz (1988), and thus we allocate them to S. vanhoeffeni with some doubt. Austin et al, 2014) External morphology Sponges flattened, button-shaped or hemispherical, with single short exhalant papillae, 0.9 -2.0 cm in diameter. Surface with smooth central area, white in life and becoming yellowish after preservation, and with a slightly hispid dark brown peripheral band.…”

“…Spicules (see Austin et al (2014) for number of spicules measured) † Principal spicules -straight, slightly fusiform subtylostyles, often with oval tyles. Length 870 -1023 -1500 mm, diameter 9.6 -17.5 -21.1 mm.…”

“…The single layered-cortex is recorded in some species of several polymastiid genera, but usually it is composed of a palisade of either small tylostyles (e.g. in Polymastia invaginata Kirkpatrick, 1907, Sphaerotylus raphidophora Austin, Ott, Reiswig, Romagosa & McDaniel, 2014, Spinularia spinularia (Bowerbank, 1866) and Tentorium semisuberites (Schmidt, 1870)) or exotyles (e.g. in Sphaerotylus exotylotus Koltun, 1970 and S. vanhoeffeni Hentschel, 1914) while in Koltunia the cortex is made of the bouquets of principal spicules with small tylostyles and exotyles embedded in between.…”

Two new species in the family Axinellidae (Porifera, Demospongiae) from British Columbia and adjacent waters

“…A brief history of surveys and publications from 1878 to 1966 including sponges in British Columbia is presented in Austin et al (in prep.). Of the approximately 200 demosponge species recorded for this region (Austin 1985, Austin et al 2012), six species were regarded as members of the family Axinellidae (Austin 1985, Austin and Ott 1987).…”

“…Three of these have now been removed from this family. Syringella amphispicula de Laubenfels, 1961 was recently shown to belong to the genus Homaxinella and hence to the family Suberitidae (Austin et al in prep.). Stylissa stipitata de Laubenfels, 1961 is not a Stylissa and not an axinellid; It is considered to be a synonym of Semisuberites cribrosa (Micklucho-Maclay, 1870) by van Soest et al (2012).…”