139 research outputs found
Validation of Tethya samaaii Ribeiro & Muricy, 2011, replacement name for the sponge Tethya rubra Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Demospongiae, Tethyida, Tethyidae)
No full textSamaai, Toufiek, Gibbons, Mark J., Muricy, Guilherme (2017): Validation of Tethya samaaii Ribeiro & Muricy, 2011, replacement name for the sponge Tethya rubra Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Demospongiae, Tethyida, Tethyidae). Zootaxa 4347 (3), DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4347.3.1
Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly 2002
No full textGenus Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly 2002 Type species. Tsitsikamma favus Samaai & Kelly, 2002: 729 Diagnosis. Semispherical, pedunculate, or encrusting Latrunculiidae with a smooth surface covered with large cylindrical or volcanoshaped oscules and raised fungiform areolate porefields. Colour in life is dark liver brown to dark turquoise, or pinkish brown. Texture is extraordinarily tough and leathery. Megascleres are styles, microscleres are isochiadiscorhabds. A choanosome permeated with rigid honeycomblike chambers visible to the unaided eye, surrounding a much softer interior with wispy tracts, or a single purselike chamber with softer interior, characterises this genus. Microscleres are present in an irregular palisade on the surface ectosome and lining the internal tracts (modified from Samaai & Kelly, 2002).Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Gibbons, Mark J., Kelly, Michelle & Davies-Coleman, Mike, 2003, South African Latrunculiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida): descriptions of new species of Latrunculia du Bocage, Strongylodesma Lévi, and Tsitsikamma Samaai & Kelly, pp. 1-26 in Zootaxa 371 on page 19, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15690
Biannulata Samaai et al. 2006
No full textSubgenus Biannulata Samaai et al. 2006 Type species. Latrunculia kaakaariki Alvarez, Bergquist and Battershill, 2002, here designated. Diagnosis. Latrunculia species in which the anisodiscorhabd microscleres have only two whorls around the shaft, the median and subsidiary whorls, and these are located closer to the apical whorl than to the manubrium. The manubrium and basal whorl are indistinguishable, forming a cuff of irregularly distributed spines that are themselves lightly and irregularly spined. The apical whorl and apex are also indistinguishable, forming a tuft of irregularly distributed spines that are smooth or lightly and irregularly spined. The whorls are frequently composed of robust spines that are themselves lightly and irregularly spined, the primary spines are arranged horizontally around the shaft and may be grouped into sectors. The megascleres may be lightly and irregularly spined along the shaft (emended from Samaai et al. 2006). Remarks. In L. (Biannulata) the basal progenitor emerges as a single, undifferentiated, irregularly distributed cuff of spines (see Alvarez et al. 2002: figs 2 c, 4 c, 5 c, 6 b, 6 c, 7 c), above which emerge the regularly distributed spines of the median and subsidiary whorls (Fig. 1, right). The apical progenitor emerges undifferentiated in most species, forming an irregularly distributed tuft of spines. The apex may or may not be defined (see also Alvarez et al., 2002: figs 2 c, 4 c, 5 c, 6 b, 6 c, 7 c; Samaai et al. 2004: fig 2).Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Janson, Liesl & Kelly, Michelle, 2012, New species of Latrunculia from the Agulhas shelf, South Africa, with designation of a type species for subgenus Biannulata (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Latrunculiidae), pp. 33-45 in Zootaxa 3395 on page 37, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.21261
Cyclacanthia bellae Samaai & Kelly 2003
No full textCyclacanthia bellae (Samaai & Kelly, 2003) (Figs. 2 F, 3 A, E–F, 4 A) Latrunculia bellae Samaai & Kelly, 2003: 14, Fig. 3 C, 4 D, 5 D. Holotype. BMNH 2003.1.10.1: Ryi Banks, Algoa Bay, South east South Africa. Paratype. SAM H 4963: Ryi Banks, Algoa Bay, South east South Africa. Description (modified from Samaai et al., 2003). Thinly encrusting sponge, 5 mm thick in life, surface crowded with very small conical oscules and numerous thinlipped craterlike areolate porefields (Fig. 3 A). Compressible in life, slightly felty to the touch, emerald green in life, dark chocolate brown internally and in preservative. The sponges were collected from a moderately rugged rocky bottom with patches of sand between rocks, on Ryi Banks, Algoa Bay, southeastern South Africa, at 10– 22 m. Spicules. Megascleres— Styles: Smooth, hastate, centrally thickened straight or slightly sinuous styles, 364 (319–400) long x 12 m wide (Fig 4 A). Microscleres— Acanthose isospinodiscorhabds: The median whorl is composed of four groups of discrete spines distributed evenly around the shaft, the spines of the manubrium and apical whorl are slanted obliquely from the median whorl and the spines are orientated at different angles within each whorl. A single spike protrudes from the apex and base of the spicule, all spines are markedly acanthose, 46 (44–51) m long (Fig. 2 F). Skeleton. Large dense swathes of megascleres, 230–250 m wide, emerge from the base of the sponge towards the upper choanosome, where they diverge to form loose brushes and a whispy polygonal reticulation of tracts c. 60–180 m wide, forming a mesh c. 230 m wide (Fig. 3 F). Interstitial megascleres and microscleres are abundant. The ectosome of tangentially arranged styles is c. 320 m thick, and is aligned by an irregular palisade of densely packed isospinodiscorhabds (Fig. 3 E). Remarks. While Samaai et al. (2003) considered C. bellae (Samaai & Kelly) to be unique amongst South African Latrunculiidae, they did not consider the combination of characters that this species displayed to be sufficient evidence for the erection of a new genus until further species were discovered. The discovery of two additional species has now justified this action. The isospinodiscorhabds of C. bellae (Samaai & Kelly) (Fig. 2 F) are superficially similar to the isoconicodiscorhabds of the North Atlantic latrunculid genus Sceptrella (Fig. 2 C) in that they both have whorls of discrete spines grouped in an irregular distribution around the shaft (‘furcate spines’ of Samaai & Kelly, 2002), and these microscleres are both secondarily spinose. The key difference is that in the isospinodiscorhabds of Cyclacanthia sp. nov., the subsidiary whorl is absent in all three known species. The morphology of the isospinodiscorhabds is in fact more similar to the isochiadiscorhabds of Tsitsikamma. While the mature microscleres differ considerably in their overall morphology (the microscleres of Tsitsikamma bear three regular whorls of apically spined tubercules (Fig. 2 B), the subsidiary whorl in both types of microscleres is absent, and the ontogenetic pathways of both are similar. Moreover, species in both genera have thick tracts or swathes of megascleres in addition to the typically whispy polygonal reticulation of other Latrunculiidae (Samaai & Kelly 2002; Samaai et al., 2003). The phylogenetic implications of the similarities between Cyclacanthia sp. nov. and Tsitsikamma will be considered in the final discussion of this work. The primary character of C. bellae (Samaai & Kelly), that is diagnostic at the species level, is the overall morphology of the microsclere, the design and geometry of the spines in the various whorls on the microsclere, the degree and nature of ornamentation of the spines, and the basal choanosomal architecture (Table 1).Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Govender, Vasha & Kelly, Michelle, 2004, Cyclacanthia n. g. (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida: Latrunculiidae incertea sedis), a new genus of marine sponges from South African waters, and description of two new species, pp. 1-18 in Zootaxa 725 on pages 5-6, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.16950
FIGURE 1 in Validation of Tethya samaaii Ribeiro & Muricy, 2011, replacement name for the sponge Tethya rubra Samaai & Gibbons, 2005 (Demospongiae, Tethyida, Tethyidae)
No full textFIGURE 1. In situ photographs of (A) Tethya samaaii from Oudekraal, South Africa and (B) Tethya rubra from Abrolhos Archipelago, Brazil.Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Gibbons, Mark J. & Muricy, Guilherme, 2017, Zootaxa 4347 (3), DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4347.3.11, http://zenodo.org/record/104850
FIGURE 13 in Biodiversity " hotspots ", patterns of richness and endemism, and distribution of marine sponges in South Africa based on actual and interpolation data: A comparative approach
No full textFIGURE 13. Dendogram based on Bray-Curtis similarity for the South African sponge fauna of 35 coastal sections based on the predicted dataset.Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, 2006, Biodiversity " hotspots ", patterns of richness and endemism, and distribution of marine sponges in South Africa based on actual and interpolation data: A comparative approach, pp. 1-37 in Zootaxa 1358 on page 29, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.27361
Biverticillus Payne & Samaai & Kelly 2022, gen. nov.
No full textGenus Biverticillus gen. nov. Type species. Biverticillus tenuissimus gen. et sp. nov., designated herein. Diagnosis. Very thinly encrusting sponges with undulating but smooth surface, and soft texture; easily torn. Choanosome composed of thin, small subtylostyles in tracts that diverge and radiate from base to surface. Ectosome a dense tangential layer of megascleres, above which sits an irregular palisade of microscleres oriented in different directions. Microscleres are anisospinodiscorhabds with a stout shaft bearing an apical whorl with solitary (rarely bifurcate) spines, and a basal manubrium with bifurcate spines, each differing from the other slightly in the angle of repose of the spines. The median and subsidiary whorls are centrally located, equally spaced between each other and the apical whorl and manubrium and are mostly equidiametral. All whorl spines are themselves heavily spined. Etymology. Named for Latrunculiidae with a new form of microsclere, the anisospinodiscorhabd, with two centrally located, equally spaced whorls of acanthose spines, between apical and basal substructures (biverticillus, double whorl; Latin).Published as part of Payne, Robyn, Samaai, Toufiek & Kelly, Michelle, 2022, New Latrunculiidae genus (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) from the Madagascar Ridge, pp. 296-300 in Zootaxa 5105 (2) on page 296, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5105.2.9, http://zenodo.org/record/633271
Strongylodesma aliwaliensis Samaai, Keyzers & Davies-Coleman, 2004, sp. nov.
No full textStrongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov. (Fig. 2 A, B, C; 3 A, B, C, D) Holotype Material. SAM H 5083 (cross ref. TS 970): Umkomaas, Aliwal Shoal, East coast of South Africa, 30 ° 26 ’ 202 ”S, 32 ° 02’ 558 ”E, collected by Toufiek Samaai and Vic Peddemors, 0 4 September 2003, at a depth of 18 m. Paratype material. SAF 94 – 23: Umkomaas, Aliwal Shoal, East coast of South Africa, 30 ° 26 ’ 202 ”S, 32 ° 02’ 558 ”E, collected by Greg Hooper, 21 June 1994, at a depth of 18 m. TS VG 1: Umkomaas, Aliwal Shoal (Raggie Cave and Anvil Rock), East coast of South Africa, 30 ° 26 ’ 202 ”S, 32 ° 02’ 558 ”E, collected by Toufiek Samaai, 0 1 May 2004, at a depth of 15 m. Description. Sponge is massive, semispherical, sometimes thickly encrusting, up to 8.5 x 7 x 4.5 cm in diameter (Fig. 2 A). Ectosomal layer not readily separable from choanosomal tissue, but are distinguishable and approximately 1 mm thick. Texture soft, compressible but resilient. Surface smooth with numerous, randomly scattered cylindrical or volcanoshaped oscules, 1.5 cm high and 1–2 cm wide, with no internal canal divisions, and smooth mushroomlike areolate porefields 0.5 cm high and 0.5 cm wide (Fig. 2 B). Sand particles and other epifauna (hydroids and Red algae) present on the surface and within the choanosomal tissue of the sponge. Exterior colour in life dark olive green; in preservative dark oily brown/black. Spicules. Megascleres are smooth anisostrongyles, with one end narrower than the other, 428 (235–590) x 7 (4–9) m, n= 20 (Fig. 2 B) (Paratype SAF 94 – 23: 466 (245–549) x 6 (4–7) m, n= 20 (Fig. 2 C). Microscleres: absent Skeleton. The choanosomal architecture is dense with convoluted tracts that may or may not form discrete chambers, these tracts range in width 100–294 m thick (paratype 200–490 m thick) (Fig 2, C, D). These convoluted tracts are a dense paratangential feltwork of anisostrongyles, similar to that found in the ectosome, suggesting that these convoluted tracts may represent an early ectosomal surface as in Tsitsikamma and Zyzzya and that the sponge grows in size and volume by putting on new chambers as in some species of Polymastiidae (from New Zealand), Zyzzya, Coelosphaera, Coelocarteria and Petrosia. Within and between the convoluted tracts the choanosome is much softer, containing the skeleton that consists of an illformed, irregular reticulation of anisostrongyles, these tracts range in width from 50–100 m, with no distinction between the primary and secondary tracts (Fig. 2 B, C). Towards the centre of the choanosome the tracts are more confused and illdefined, and towards the surface they become more robust and vertically arranged and radiate to form plumose tracts 200 m wide. Scattered throughout the choanosome, between the tracts, are a few interstitial megascleres in the same category as the main spicules. The ectosome is composed of a dense irregular interlocking paratangential feltwork of anisostrongyles approximately 200–350 m deep (Fig. 2 A, B). Below this interlocking paratangential layer a clear band of collagenous mesohyl is present (see Fig. 2 A). Anisostrongyles do not protrude beyond the surface. Chemistry. Preliminary chemical analysis of sponge extracts has confirmed the presence of several pyrroloiminoquinone products, for example makaluvamine I. Substratum, depth range and ecology. Found on the shallow reef platform of Aliwal shoal, depth 18 m and on the vertical surfaces on the outside of a cave and boulder, depth 15 m. This species is very rare and is found in areas were there is current flow. Geographic distribution. Aliwal Shoal on the east coast of South Africa (see Fig. 1). Etymolog y. Named after the location Aliwal Shoal, Umkomaas. Discussion. Strongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov. is easily distinguished from the genus holotype S. areolata Lévi on external and internal morphology and on colouration; S. areolata have elliptical areolate porefields with a reddish brown pigmentation, while S. aliwaliensis sp. nov. have fungiform areolate porefields and are darkly pigmented like the other South African Strongylodesma and other Latrunculiidae. Strongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov. also differs from the genus holotype S. areolata Lévi by the larger size of the megascleres ((299 (282–319) x 6 (5–7) um in the holotype MNHN VEM 131 DCL 1425), and in the possession of smooth anisostrongyles (as opposed to faintly terminally spined strongyles in the holotype). The subectosomal skeleton of the holotype is a clear band of collagenous mesohyl 227–270 m thick, the base of which is a thin band of paratangential strongyles (20 m deep) (see Samaai and Kelly, 2002; Samaai, 2002). This clear region is however, present in S. aliwaliensis sp. nov. but not at the base as in the holotype (MNHN VEM 131 DCL 1425) and occurs below the thick interlocking paratangential layer at the surface (see Fig. 3 C). This broad paratangential layer at the surface of the ectosome is also present in S. tsitsikammaensis and S. algoaensis (see Samaai et al., 2003). The choanosome architecture of the new species is dense with convoluted tracts that may or may not form discrete chambers. These convoluted tracts within the choanosome are rather unusual for the genus Strongylodesma and it was first described in the type species of the genus Tsitsikamma (see Samaai and Kelly, 2002). This structure however, is not unique for Tsitsikamma (Family Latrunculiidae), as evidence also shows that species of Zyzzya (Acarnidae) have a choanosomal structure reminiscent of that of Tsitsikamma (Samaai and Kelly, 2002). The choanosomal architecture of S. aliwaliensis sp. nov however, differs considerably from Tsitsikamma favus Samaai and Kelly (2002) in that the choanosome lacks the discrete honey comblike chambers as found in T. favus Samaai and Kelly (2002). Thus, the “convoluted tract” morphological character as observe in Strongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov., Tsitsikamma and Zyzzya holds no phylogenetic weight; it is “cross taxon” — like the axial compression of Axinellidae, Raspailiidae, and the desmas of Lithistids and therefore cannot be used as a character for inclusion of this new species within either Tsitsikamma or Zyzzya. Tsitsikamma and Zyzzya also lacks the characteristic strongyle megascleres and fungiform areolate porefields as found in all species of Strongylodesma (Tsitsikamma possesses large styles and cauliform areolate porefields; Zyzzya possesses tylotes, occasional stylotes, have isochelae microscleres and lacks areolate porefields). The suggestion that the new taxon is a Tsitsikamma without microscleres is likely to be incorrect because the phenomenon of reduction of microscleres in genera with known abundant microscleres is only observed in atoll locations where silicates are less available (KellyBorges & Vacelet 1997 on Diacarnus). The inclusion of the new taxon within Strongylodesma is strongly supported based on the presence of strongyles, the fungiform areolate porefields and structure of the ectosomal layer. These convoluted tracts are an artifact of growth, where new structures of the choanosome and ectosome overgrow the older ectosomal layers. S. aliwaliensis sp. nov is found on the same habitat type as described for S. algoaensis (both are restricted to deeper waters on rocky platforms), but differs from it in that the former is found in subtropical waters on the east coast and the latter in the warm temperate waters on the south east coast of Algoa Bay (South Africa). Strongylodesma tsitsikammaensis on the other hand is restricted to the intertidal rock pools and gullies in the Tsitsikamma National Park region. The new species also differ from the two known South African species in colouration, S. tsitsikammaensis is greenish brown while S. algoaensis is brown, whereas the new species is a dark olive green colour. Strongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov. also differs from S. tsitsikammaensis and S. algoaensis in having much larger megascleres ((S. tsitsikammaensis 348 (307–403) x 7.32 (7.2–9.6) m; S. algoaensis 328 (307–355) x 9 (7.2–9.6) m), and in that the strongyles tapper off or becomes narrow on one side, a character not previously recorded in the strongyles of Strongylodesma. The ectosome also differ in the structure of the paratangential layer between the three South African species; in S. algoaensis the ectosome is composed of a loose feltwork of paratangential strongyles; in S. tsitsikammaensis and S. algoaensis the ectosome is dense and interlocking differing only in the presence of a clear subectosomal mesohyl layer in S. algoaensis (see above discussion). Strongylodesma aliwaliensis sp. nov. is very similar to species of Latrunculia in the field, with areolate porefields, a soft, inflated, compressible texture, and a typical dark pigmentation. It is only at the histological level that the genus and this species are distinguishable, by a lack of microscleres. Apart from S. areolata Lévi (1969) and the two South African species of Strongylodesma at least four more undescribed species are known to exist worldwide (Samaai et al., in prep): there is one new species each known from New Caledonia (Lévi, 1998), and the Kingdom of Tonga (Michelle Kelly, per. comm. 2002), and the genus is thought to be represented by two species in the west tropical Atlantic (see Samaai and Kelly, 2002; Samaai, 2002). These latter were previously considered to be species of Batzella (Van Soest, 1996). The addition of further species will continue to refine the definition of the genus Strongylodesma and broaden our understanding of this important genus, both biologically and geographically.Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Keyzers, Robert & Davies-Coleman, Michael, 2004, A new species of Strongylodesma Lévi, 1969 (Porifera; Demospongiae; Poecilosclerida; Latrunculiidae) from Aliwal Shoal on the east coast of South Africa, pp. 1-11 in Zootaxa 584 on pages 5-10, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15733
New Latrunculiidae genus (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) from the Madagascar Ridge
No full textPayne, Robyn, Samaai, Toufiek, Kelly, Michelle (2022): New Latrunculiidae genus (Porifera, Poecilosclerida) from the Madagascar Ridge. Zootaxa 5105 (2): 296-300, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5105.2.
Cyclacanthia Samaai, & Kelly 2004
No full textGenus Cyclacanthia Samaai, & Kelly, 2004 Type species. Cyclacanthia bellae (Samaai, Gibbons, Kelly and Davies-Coleman, 2003): 14-15, figs. 3C, 4D, 5D. Diagnosis. Encrusting sponges with long cylindrical to tapering volcano-shaped oscular fistules and truncate areolate porefields, surface even, non-hispid but felt-like to the touch, texture in life soft, compressible, only slightly compressible in preservative. Colour in life emerald green to olive green, and in preservative dark green to dark brownish green. Choanosomal architecture consists of broad swathes or defined tracts of megascleres (styles) that diverge and radiate from the base of the sponge towards the upper choanosome, where they form loose brushes and the typical wispy reticulation of other Latrunculiidae, with megascleres scattered interstitially; ectosome composed of a dense tangential layer of megascleres with an irregular palisade of microscleres at the surface that are oriented in many directions. Microscleres are acanthose isospinodiscorhabds with a straight stout shaft bearing identical apical whorl and basal manubrium with a reduced numbers of discrete conical spines that may be unevenly distributed around the shaft, i.e. grouped in bunches. The median whorl is equidistant from the apical whorl and manubrium and bears several discrete conical spines; all spines are secondarily spinose. A single spike protrudes from the manubrium and apical whorls in the plane of the shaft. Larger isospinodiscorhabds bearing two whorls of pointed spines on a thick shaft with both ends pointed and scattered in the choanosomal skeleton. Microscleres are disposed in a palisade with their basal whorls buried in the outer ectosome (modified from Samaai et al. 2004).Published as part of Samaai, Toufiek, Kelly, Michelle, Ngwakum, Benedicta, Payne, Robyn, Teske, Peter R., Janson, Liesl, Kerwath, Sven, Parker, Denham & Gibbons, Mark J., 2020, New Latrunculiidae (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida) from the Agulhas ecoregion of temperate southern Africa, pp. 409-442 in Zootaxa 4896 (3) on page 433, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4896.3.4, http://zenodo.org/record/439068
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