Suberites carnosus var. depressus Topsent, 1900

(Fig. 9H)

Suberites carnosus depressus Topsent, 1900: 235, pl. VII fig. 4.

? Suberites carnosus var. depressus; Topsent 1904: 124.

Suberites carnosus f. depressus; Cabioch 1968: 216.

The variety was described by Topsent from Cap l’Abeille, near Banyuls, Mediterranean coast of France, approximate coordinates 42.48N 3.17°E. The original text of Topsent (1900) would indicate that he considered the S. c. depressus (as well as the other mentioned S. carnosus forms) as infrasubspecific, i.e. growth forms or morphotypes of a species, rather than proper (sub)specific taxa. But his assignment to a variety in 1904 and followed by a forma designation by Cabioch indicated it was subsequently considered a distinct taxon. Typification was not formalized in Topsent’s texts, nor in subsequent treatments. If no specimen is identifiable for this variety, a type by indication (ICZN art. 12.2.7) could be Topsent’s (1900) pl. VII fig. 4, which could serve as the lectotype specimen. The present variety or forma is dissimilar in shape (encrusting lobes) from the typical variety described by Johnston (1842: 146, pl. XIII figs. 7-8, from Roundstone Bay, Ireland, approximate coordinates 57.35°N 9.92°W, holotype BMNH 1930.7.3.491, with type slide 1954.3.9.419), a conical mushroom shape, named Suberites carnosus typicus by Topsent (1900: 236). The present variety/forma in its shape reminds strongly of Suberites massa Nardo, 1847 (cf. Ackers et al. 1992: 61). I propose to reassign the f. depressus to the synonymy of Suberites massa, at least as far as the reports of the specimens described from the Mediterranean and from Roscoff (Cabioch 1968) are concerned. Topsent himself assigned Halichondria flava Lieberk ̧hn, 1859, a junior synonym of Suberites massa, to his S. carnosus depressus. The deep-water specimen from the Azores (Topsent, 1904) could belong to Suberites gibbosiceps Topsent, 1904 as suggested by Cabioch (1968), but because Topsent did not provide a description of the Azores specimen of var. depressus this remains undecided.

The present name is a senior primary homonym of Suberites cruciatus var. depressa Dendy, 1922 from the Seychelles. Junior primary homonyms must be replaced (ICZN art. 57.2). Below, the replacement name Suberites dendyi nom.nov. is proposed.