Taxonomic revision of the genus Latrunculia Du Bocage (Porifera: Demospongiae: Latrunculiidae) in New Zealand

Abstract

The genus Latrunculia in New Zealand was believed to be represented by at least three species: L. brevis Ridley & Dendy and two undescribed species. However, results from recent studies indicate that the genus contained a complex of at least eight genetically distinct species. In this paper we revise the taxonomy of Latrunculia in New Zealand and describe nine new species. Eight of these were previously identified using genetic techniques (i.e., L. kaakaariki sp. nov., L. duckworthi sp. nov., L. procumbens sp. nov., L. wellingtonensis sp. nov., L. kaikoura sp. nov., L. triverticillata sp. nov., L. fiordensis sp. nov., and L. millerae sp. nov.) and one (L. oxydiscorhabda sp. nov.) was distinguished based only on morphological differences. The species described fall into two morphological groups, spinispiraefera and triverticillata, which can be diagnosed by the number of whorls present along the discorhabd axis. The status of L. brevis, and other subantarctic species (i.e., Latrunculia bocagei, L. antarctica, L. lendenfeldi, L. spinispiraefera) is discussed; all of these species are considered to be valid but not conspecific with any of the species described here. © 2002, Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.