A review of Norwegian streptaster-bearing Astrophorida (Porifera: Demospongiae: Tetractinellida), new records and a new species

Abstract

We report and describe new material of streptaster-bearing Astrophorida sponges collected in Norway: Characella pachastrelloides, Pachastrella nodulosa sp. nov., Poecillastra compressa, Vulcanella cf. aberrans, Thenea abyssorum, Thenea levis, Thenea muricata and Thenea valdiviae. Because many of these species were described in the end of the 19th century their original descriptions are often incomplete. The Norwegian specimens are the basis for a revision of the morphology, taxonomy and distribution of these species. These are the first records of C. pachastrelloides and V. cf. aberrans from the Norwegian coast. Pachastrella nodulosa sp. nov. differs from Pachastrella monilifera by (i) its knobby surface and (ii) the absence of large oxeas, (iii) its amphiasters have on average less actines and are less spiny, finally (iv) microxeas are rare and with a distinct morphology (although there is some doubt concerning their origin). In the present study, Characella tuberosa (from South Africa), Pachastrella abyssi (from the North-West Atlantic) and Thenea schmidti (from the North-East Atlantic) are resurrected. To help their future identifications, all the Norwegian species described were associated with DNA barcodes: a cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene partial fragment and/or a 28S ribosomal gene partial fragment (C1-D2 domains). Furthermore, a key to the streptaster-bearing Astrophorida of the North-East Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea is also given (lithistids not included). Copyright © 2012 Magnolia Press.