Hemigellius bidens Topsent 1901

Hemigellius bidens (Topsent, 1901)

(Fig. 10 E)

Hemigellius bidens (Topsent, 1901): Desqueyroux-Faúndez & Valentine 2002: 884–885. Campos et al. 2007a: 702-, figs. 63– 68.

Synonymy:

Gellius bidens Topsent, 1901: 14, pl. 1, fig. 9, pl. 2, fig. 4, 1917: 77. Hentschel 1914: 129. Burton 1929: 423. Vacelet & Arnaud 1972: 19. Barthel et al. 1990: 123, 1997: 49.

Haliclona bidens (Topsent, 1901): Koltun 1964, 101.

Plumocolumetta bidens (Topsent, 1901): de Laubenfels 1936: 54.

Material. 1 specimen from station 048-1 (SMF 11793), 602.1 m, 70° 23.94' S, 8° 19.14' W, 12.01.2008.

Description. Specimen a tube-shaped fragment with a smooth surface. Choanosomal skeleton a poorly organized anisotropic reticulation; ectosomal skeleton of radial oxea bundles. Spicules oxeas, 600–690 x 15–20 µm and sigmas with bifurcated ends, 40 µm in length and 16 µm in width.

Remarks. This well characterized species has been described and illustrated in detail by several authors, including Topsent (1901), Hentschel (1914), Koltun (1964) and Campos et al. (2007a). Our specimen accords well with those prior descriptions. The sigmas with bifurcated ends, so far only known from this species, are an absolutely distinct character differentiating the species from all other sponge taxa (Desqueyroux-Faúndez & Valentine 2002).