Gellius raphidiophorus Brondsted 1933

Gellius raphidiophorus Brøndsted, 1933

(Fig. 3K)

Gellius raphidiophorus Brøndsted, 1933: 18, fig. 7.

This combination, described by Brøndsted from Davis Strait between Greenland and Canada collected by the Godthaab Exped. Stat. 160, W of Egedesminde, 68.2833°N 58.2333°W, depth 410 m (holotype ZMUC reg.nr. NHMD237734), is a junior primary homonym of Gellius rhaphidiophora Von Lendenfeld (1888: 190) (currently Haliclona (Gellius) rhaphidiophora) described from Port Jackson, Australia, approximate coordinates 33.85°S 151.25°E, wet syntypes BMNH 1887.1.24.33 and AM G9141, fide Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: 121). The difference in spelling of the names, raphi - vs rhaphi - must be ignored according to ICZN art. 58.6 (aspiration or not of consonant), and the difference of the suffix - a vs - us amounts to the first being a misspelling that must be corrected (ICZN art. 34.2), so effectively the two are primary homonyms. The Australian species was redescribed by Hallmann (1914: 363, fig.10) demonstrating that the two are obviously different species (shape and spicule sizes). The junior name is permanently invalid (ICZN art. 57.2) and must be replaced, for which I propose Haliclona (Gellius) godthaabae nom.nov., named after the expedition vessel (there is already a combination Haliclona (Rhizoniera) brondstedi).