( Figs 1–4; Table 1, 2)
Haliclona n. sp. cf. kaikoura, Stoffers et al. 1999: 66, 247.
Material examined. Calypso hydrothermal vent field ( Southern vent field, unless noted otherwise), southwest of White Island, Bay of Plenty: Holotype — NIWA 32128, University of Kiel Stn SO192-2/2, 37.688° S, 177.122° E, 189 m, collected by ROV, 24 Apr 2007. Paratypes — NIWA 52850, IFM GEOMAR Stn SO135/103, 37.695° S, 177.101° E, 179–181 m, collected by rock dredge, 10 Oct 1998; NIWA 52895, IFM GEOMAR Stn SO135/102, 37.698° S, 177.099° E, 177–185 m, collected by rock dredge, 9 Oct 1998; NIWA 52921, IFM GEOMAR Stn SO135/110, 37.688° S, 177.122° E, 189–192 m, collected by rock dredge, 11 Oct 1998; NIWA 52872, IFM GEOMAR Stn SO135/108, 37.687° S, 177.121° E, 193 m, collected by submersible, 10 Oct 1998.
Other material. Calypso hydrothermal vent field ( Northern vent field): NIWA 99603, IFM GEOMAR Stn SO 135/117, 37.614° S, 177.100° E, 162 m, collected by rock dredge, 11 Oct 1998.
Type location & distribution. Calypso hydrothermal vent field, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, 162–193 m.
Description. Sponge forms a tangled mass emanating from what appears to be either a single point of attachment to hard substrate, or an encrustation ( Figs 2, 3A; see also Fig. 5A). Immature sponges form a solitary, short stubby to elongate irregular finger, often branched into two or three fingers, length about 10–20 cm long, 4– 10 mm thick. As the sponge grows, the basal branch splits, branches anastomosing to form a large tangled mass, up to about 40 cm long and 30 cm wide. Oscules, 2–5 mm diameter, are raised on low mounds on older, basal branches, rendering the surface knobbed, almost ribbed in appearance (see Fig. 5A). The surface of younger sections is smooth and oscules are flush with the overall surface, slightly concave in preservative. Texture in life slightly compressible, younger sections more fragile and compressible, older, basal sections firmer slightly elastic and reasonably flexible. Brittle on tearing. Surface texture slightly fuzzy, microscopically hispid. Colour in life light cream; in preservative pale tan.
Skeleton. Skeleton of the deep choanosome consists of rare, uni- to multispicular primary lines ( Fig. 3C, red arrows), joined in places by single spicules ( Fig. 3C, white arrows), with evidence of some minor subisodictyal reticulation. The majority of the choanosome has little order, rather, consisting of abundant, scattered spicules, surrounding subdermal spaces of variable size. The ectosome is highly irregular with spicules protruding obliquely or with no obvious orientation, creating the slightly velvety surface texture. Spongin is not visible but most likely limited to the nodes of connection between oxeas.
Spicules. Megascleres ( Table 1; Fig. 4) thick oxeas, fusiform, slightly curved to abruptly, slightly centrally bent, 203 (159–231) × 11 (5–15) µm.
Specimen | Oxeas |
Holotype NIWA 32128 | 199 (180–231) × 11 (8–13) |
Paratype NIWA 52850 | 206 (187–220) × 11 (9–13) |
Paratype NIWA 52872 | 206 (189–220) × 13 (10–15) |
Paratype NIWA 52895 | 208 (184–222) × 11 (8–13) |
Paratype NIWA 52921 | 190 (159–211) × 10 (5–13) |
Substrate, depth range and ecology. Attached to volcaniclastic rock covered in sediment and associated with high densities of an undescribed orange anemone, and other sponges, 177– 193 m.
Etymology. Named for Professor Christopher N. Battershill, University of Waikato, who first identified this species as Haliclona n. sp. cf. kaikoura Bergquist & Warne, 1980 and who noted the potential significance of the association between the sponges and active hydrothermal venting at the Calypso hydrothermal vent field ( Stoffers et al. 1999).
Remarks. In general terms, the skeletal architecture of Haliclona battershilli sp. nov. conforms to something between that of Haliclona ( Haliclona) species sensu de Weerdt (2000, 2002), which have a very regular ladder-like reticulation of uni- to pausispicular primary lines connected by unispicular secondary lines, and Haliclona ( Soestella) de Weerdt, 2000 species, which have a subanisotropic choanosomal skeleton of ill-defined pausispicular primary lines, irregularly connected by pausispicular secondary lines, with a slight tendency to form rounded meshes (de Weerdt 2000, 2002). The choanosome of Haliclona battershilli sp. nov. has only occasional unispicular primary lines visible, joined occasionally by single spicules ( Fig. 3C) [as in Haliclona ( Haliclona)], interspersed with numerous interstitial oxeas strewn around a reasonably cavernous choanosome. The skeleton approaches Haliclona ( Soestella) in this way but does not form strictly rounded meshes. In the face of these difficulties, we consider the skeleton architecture to be closer to that of Haliclona ( Soestella) than to that of Haliclona ( Haliclona) species and have assigned the new species to the subgenus Haliclona ( Soestella) accordingly.
Stoffers et al. (1999: 66) describe, “a large very dense anemone assemblage with white finger sponge ( Haliclona n. sp.) together with bacterial mats” as, “a striking assemblage,” that was listed as specific to the venting areas ( Stoffers et al. 1999: 72; Species/geological associations: 1–white bacterial mat, brown anemone and white finger sponge/Rock outcrops, bubbles, high temperatures). The ‘white finger sponge’ is named in Stoffers et al. (1999: Appendix 6-3) as Haliclona n. sp. cf. kaikoura Bergquist & Warne, 1980, which forms branches that arise from a flattened base, but this species has a conspicuous punctate, reticulate surface and much smaller oxeas [ H. kaikoura: 130 (124–149 µm); H. ( S.) battershilli: 203 (159–231 µm)]. Haliclona kaikoura has only been recorded from the east coast of the South Island.
Locality & depth Morphology & colour Skeleton Spicule dimensions CommentHaliclona ( Reniera) cinerea (Grant, 1826) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 120; 1924: 452) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 14) |
Port Ross and Carnley Barrel-shaped, tubular to encrusting, Irregular meshes; primary Oxeas, slightly bent in the middle, Bergquist & Warne (1980) report a “densely Harbour, Auckland Is, up to 40 mm high, 15 mm wide, fibres more distinct than occasionally centrotylote spiculose skeleton, making their placement in R. Subantarctic New encrusting up to 55 mm wide, 1–3 secondary fibres; main 130–135 × 6.6–8 µm Auckland Is cinerea doubtful.” The species was first and Zealand, intertidal mm thick; oscules 1–1.5 mm fibres often 3 spicules 125–160 µm Stewart Is (Bergquist & subsequently described from the North Atlantic and (Brøndsted 1924); diameter, margins raised; surface wide and project through Warne 1980) Mediterranean Sea. The New Zealand distribution is Slipper Is, low water; finely hispid; texture softly elastic; ectosome; spongin scarce; inaccurate (Van Soest 2017d) and the Slipper Island Port Pegasus, Stewart Is, colour in life, yellowish-grey to megascleres oxeas (Coromandel Peninsula?) record, disparate with the intertidal (Brøndsted brownish (Brøndsted 1924) (Brøndsted 1924) generally Subantarctic New Zealand distribution 1924)
Haliclona ( Reniera) clathrata (Dendy, 1895) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 125; 1924: 453), Bergquist (1961: 35; 1961b: 170) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 14)
Perseverance Harbour, Irregularly massive, raised, conical, Very regular; primary Oxeas, slightly curved in the middle, The species was first described from Port Philip Campbell Is, funnel-shaped oscules, 0.6 mm fibres, 2 (1–3) spicules occasionally centrotylote Heads, Victoria, South Australia (Dendy 1895) and Subantarctic New diameter; sponge 12 mm diameter; wide, radiate 83 × 5 µm Port Philip (holotype) subsequently from Port Jackson, New South Wales Zealand, intertidal surface finely hispid; texture soft, perpendicular to the 107 × 6 µm (holotype remeasured) (Brøndsted 1924). Bergquist & Warne (1980) (Brøndsted 1924); elastic, colour in life, pale grey surface; connected by 85–115 × 5 µm Campbell Is considered the species to be well characterised. Queen Charlotte Sound, (Brøndsted 1924). Massive single spicules (Brøndsted 90–105 × 6 µm QC Sound However, because of the purportedly huge latitudinal 1–3 m (Brøndsted encrusting sponge with broad-based 1924). Dense, more or less 136 (120–141) × 6 (5–6) µm Chatham range of this species and the considerable range in 1924); 6–20 m conical elevated oscules; 6 cm long, irregular unispicular Is the length of the oxeas, we consider this species to (Bergquist & Warne 4 cm wide, thickness 2.8 cm; surface reticulation. Distinct 108 (92–124) × 5 (4–7) µm Ladies either a possible adventive from South Australia, or (1980); Waitemata smooth; texture soft, friable, large multispicular primary Bay (Bergquist & Warne 1980) more likely, a mix of species that might be resolved Harbour; Wellington; specimens are elastic; colour in life, fibres are visible in places, by examination of the original and fresh material in Kaikoura; Chatham Is; yellow-brown to mauve (Bergquist projecting from the comparison with the South Australian holotype Akaroa Peninsula; & Warne 1980) ectosome (Bergquist &
Dunedin (Bergquist & Warne 1980)
Warne 1980)
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Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona ( Rhizoniera) broendstedi Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 15 | ||||
Anawhata and Piha, | Thin encrusting sponge with many | Unispicular rectangular | Oxeas, slightly curved, with toxas | Haliclona broendstedi is endemic and is |
Auckland west coast; Mt | flush to raised turrets; up to 100 cm2, | mesh to a reinforced | (unmeasured) | distinguished from other species by the possession of |
Maunganui, Bay of | 2–4 mm thick; surface even and | network of multispicular | 96 (88–106) × 4 µm Anawhata | toxas. Bergquist & Warne (1980) considered the |
Plenty; Coromandel | minutely hispid; colour in life fawn; | primary fibres and | (holotype) | variability in the degree of reinforcement of the |
Peninsula; intertidal | texture soft or crumbly (Bergquist & | unispicular secondary | 106 (86–116) × 6 µm Anawhata | skeleton, in specimens at the same location, to be |
(Bergquist & Warne | Warne 1980) | fibres; primary fibres | 95 (88–99) × 4 µm Piha | unusual, but that all specimens belonged to a single, |
1980) | emerge as brushes in | 71 (63–88) × 4 µm Mt Maunganui | morphologically variable, species. The species is | |
reinforced specimens | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | accepted as Haliclona ( Rhizoniera) | ||
(Bergquist & Warne 1980) | broendstedi (Van Soest 2017e). | |||
Haliclona fragilis Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 15 | ||||
Kaipara Harbour, North | Thick encrusting to massive sponge; | Loose, irregular, | Oxeas, large, stout | Endemic species characterised by the soft, limp, |
Island west coast; | oscules broad, 3 mm diameter, | unispicular reticulation, | 175 (131–197) × 9 (2–13) µm | fragile texture and relatively large oxeas. |
Kaikoura; Portobello; | elevated; 6 x 5 x 1–5 cm thick; | spongin visible at spicule | Kaikoura (holotype) | |
lower intertidal to | surface minutely granular and | nodes (Bergquist & Warne | 166 (141–190) × 7 (1–10) µm | |
shallow subtidal | hispid; texture soft, limp, easily torn, | 1980) | Portobello | |
slightly slimy; colour in life cream | 113 (81–142) × 6 (1–10) µm Kaipara | |||
to dull yellow (Bergquist & Warne | Harbour | |||
1980) | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | |||
Haliclona foraminosa (Thiele, 1905): 465 | ||||
Tumbes, Peru, intertidal | Encrusting sponge with a thickness | Skeleton a dense irregular | Oxeas | This species was listed in Kelly et al. (2009), an |
(Thiele, 1905); | of 2–3 mm. Typical form is a thin | network of oxeas, forming | 140–150 × 10 µm Typical form | inventory of known New Zealand sponge species. |
Macquarie Island, | encrustation with numerous small | weak vertical tracts in the | 125–130 µm Second form | However, the source of Burton’s (1938) record is |
shallow water (Burton, | oscules, lying flush with the surface, | choanosome, but as | (Thiele 1905) | Macquarie Island, within the Australian EEZ to the |
1938) | a second form had oscules raised on | isolated spicules in the | south of New Zealand. Details of this species are | |
papillae; surface punctate; colour in | surface, spicules cemented | included here, for completeness of records of species | ||
life of typical form, light blue-green, | at nodes with spongin. In | of Haliclona within the New Zealand region, even | ||
atypical form, grey or grey-violet | the second form, tracts are | though the species is not strictly a New Zealand | ||
(Thiele, 1905) | more developed in the | endemic. | ||
basal choanosome, arising | ||||
to form weak vertical | ||||
tracts that are wholly | ||||
embedded in spongin | ||||
(Thiele, 1905) |
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Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona glabra Bergquist, 1961 | ||||
Stanley Bay, intertidal | Thinly encrusting sponge; surface | Isodictyal reticulation, | Oxeas | Bergquist & Warne (1980) stated that, in all |
even, minutely hispid, oscules few, | primary fibres are | 152 × 7 µm | respects, the holotype of H. glabra falls within the | |
minute, scattered; texture firm, | triangular, connected by | range of the characters known for H. heterofibrosa. | ||
friable; colour in life dull cream | single spicules | However, because H. heterofibrosa sensu stricto was | ||
originally described from Iceland, and the New | ||||
Zealand records are no longer considered to be | ||||
accurate, the move to synonymise this species with | ||||
H. heterofibrosa , by Bergquist & Warne 1980, is not | ||||
accepted (Van Soest 2017a). The validity of H. | ||||
glabra is uncertain and is considered unrecognisable | ||||
until further material becomes available for | ||||
examination. | ||||
Haliclona (Soestella) implexa (Schmidt, 1868) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 122) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 17) | ||||
Port Ross (16–18 m) and | Encrusting to ‘lump-shaped’; up to | From the base arise | Oxeas, slightly bent in the middle with | Brøndsted (1924) noted that the oxeas in the |
Carnley Harbour | 50 mm diameter, encrusting forms | primary fibres with 1–3 | a sharp curve | Auckland Island specimens were larger than those of |
(intertidal), Auckland | 2–3 mm thick; surface finely hispid, | spicules side by side, | 120–156 × 8 µm | Schmidt’s original specimens of Reniera implexa, |
Island, Subantarctic | oscules, raised on summit of | radiating towards the | (Brøndsted 1924) | from the Mediterranean Adriatic Sea, and the |
New Zealand | massive specimens, 4 mm diameter, | surface, 1 spicule width | primary fibres were unispicular, not multispicular. | |
(Brøndsted 1924) | 1–1.5 mm diameter on encrusting | apart. In encrusting | He retained the name implexa for convenience, in | |
specimens; texture fragile; colour in | specimens, the skeleton is | anticipation of a review of the genus Reniera. | ||
life greyish, ‘shading off through | less regular with no | Reniera implexa Schmidt, 1868 is now accepted as | ||
yellow and orange to reddish’ | obvious fibres (Brøndsted | H. ( Soestella) implexa and is reserved for Northern | ||
(Brøndsted 1924) | 1 924) | Atlantic and Mediterranean sponges; the New | ||
Zealand distribution is inaccurate (Van Soest 2017f). | ||||
Haliclona isodictyalis Bergquist, 1961 | ||||
Waitawa Bay, Clevedon, | Encrusting sponge, up to 3 mm | Skeleton irregular | Oxeas | Bergquist & Warne (1980) stated that, in all |
Firth of Thames; Point | thick; surface minutely shaggy, | isodictyal reticulation, | 130 × 7 µm | respects, the holotype of H. isodictyale falls within |
Chevalier Reef, | hispid, oscules are apical on tubular | mainly unispicular | the range of the characters known for H. | |
Waitemata Harbour | processes; texture soft, friable; | heterofibrosa. However, because H. heterofibrosa | ||
colour in life pale cream | sensu stricto was originally described from Iceland, | |||
and the New Zealand records are no longer | ||||
considered to be accurate, the move to synonymise | ||||
this species with H. heterofibrosa by Bergquist & | ||||
Warne 1980, is not accepted (Van Soest 2017b). The | ||||
validity of H. isodictyale is uncertain and is | ||||
considered unrecognisable until further material | ||||
becomes available for examination. |
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Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona kaikoura Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 17 | ||||
Wairepo Lagoon, | Palmodigitate to lobate sponge with | Regular, compact | Oxeas, stout, straight, or slightly | Endemic species characterised by the unusual |
Kaikoura; intertidal to | numerous short, pointed branches | rectangular network of | curved | palmodigitate morphology, the firm texture, the |
shallow subtidal? | with large flattened areas, 6 × 3.5 × | primary fibres, 1–4 | 130 (124–149) × 9 µm | extremely cavernous interior and unique punctate, |
(Bergquist & Warne, | 1 cm thick; surface smooth, with a | spicules thick, connected | reticulate appearance of the surface. | |
1980) | unique punctate, reticulate | by single spicules | ||
appearance, oscules 1–2 mm | (Bergquist & Warne, | |||
diameter, flush or slightly raised | 1980) | |||
rims; texture firm, compressible, | ||||
slightly elastic; colour in life mauve | ||||
(Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | ||||
Haliclona ( Rhizoniera) rosea (Bowerbank, 1866): previously H. ‘laxa’ (Lundbeck, 1902) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 124; 1924: 453) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 17) |
Perseverance Harbour, Almost barrel-shaped, 135 mm long, Primary fibres, 2–6 Oxeas, slightly bent in the middle with Haliclona laxa was first described from Iceland by Campbell Island, 37 m; 7–8 mm thick; oscule at end of spicules thick, radiate a sharp curve Lundbeck (1902) and the name attributed to Port Ross, 18 m, barrel, 1.5 mm diameter, surface towards the surface, 182 × 10 µm Perseverance Harbour specimens in New Zealand by Brøndsted (1924). Auckland Island, finely hispid; texture soft, elastic; connected irregularly by 190–200 × 7–8 µm Colville Channel Haliclona laxa sensu strictu is a synonym of the Subantarctic New colour in life, very light yellowish single spicules. Overall northern European species H. ( Rhizoniera) Zealand (Brøndsted grey (Brøndsted 1924). Colville skeleton very dense with rosea (Bowerbank, 1866) (Van Soest 2009) and it 1924) Channel specimen encrusting 1–3 numerous interstitial highly unlikely that the species name is appropriate mm thick on a shell (Brøndsted spicules (Brøndsted 1924). for our New Zealand specimens, given the bipolar Colville Channel, 1924) In the northern specimen, nature of the purported distribution. Furthermore, the Hauraki Gulf, 64 m the primary fibres are not distribution within New Zealand is disparate, with (Brøndsted 1924) visible due to the locations at either end of the country (Subantarctic encrusting habit New Zealand vs Auckland region) and the skeleton (Brøndsted 1924) in both specimens differ, with the Colville Channel specimen having considerably larger oxeas. The northern and subantarctic Brøndsted specimens are highly likely to be distinct species and both are possibly new endemics, the identity of which can only be determined with a study of fresh material.
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Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona ( Rhizoniera) rosea (Bowerbank, 1866): previously H. ‘ heterofibrosa ’ (Lundbeck, 1902) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 121), Bergquist (1961: 35) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 16) | ||||
Perseverance Harbour, | Irregularly massive, flattened, 70 | A simple reticulation of | Oxeas, slightly bent in the middle | Haliclona heterofibrosa was first described from |
Campbell Island, | mm greatest extent; oscules | spicules reinforced by | 130–170 × 8 µm Perseverance | Iceland (Lundbeck 1902) and subsequently applied |
Subantarctic New | frequent, 2 mm diameter; texture | multispicular primary | Harbour | to numerous New Zealand specimens by Brøndsted |
Zealand; intertidal | elastic; colour in life dirty greyish | fibres, 3–6 spicules wide, | 135 (126–146) × 8 µm Pt Chevalier | (1924), who questioned the use of this species name |
(Brøndsted 1924); | (Brøndsted 1924) | 1–2 spicules apart. The | 164 (157–174) × 8 µm Pt Chevalier | for the Subantarctic New Zealand specimens, |
Rangitoto Island, Point | A thickly encrusting to fistulose, | two forms of skeleton may | 128 (124–139) × 7 µm Musick Pt | admitting that the specimens were “not quite |
Chevalier Reef, | branching sponge commonly found | intergrade within the | 159 (149–164) × 9 µm Motuihe | identical”. The New Zealand distribution is |
Waitemata Harbour, | under ledges and stones, | specimen, with greater | Channel | considered questionable by Van Soest (2017g), who |
Auckland east coast; | occasionally in subtidal; thickness | multispicular | 116 (101–134) × 6 µm Manukau | refers to the New Zealand material as incertae sedis. |
intertidal (Bergquist, | 0.5 to 2.5 cm; surface punctate, | reinforcement at the base | Harbour | Because of the disparate distribution (Subantarctic |
1961); Pt Chevalier, | smooth and granular or shaggy and | and unispicular | 117 (111–129) × 8 µm Manukau | New Zealand vs Auckland region), the variability in |
Musick Point, | hispid in some specimens, oscules | reticulation at the surface. | Harbour | skeleton form, and variability in oxea length, the |
Waitemata Harbour, | 0.5–1.5 mm diameter; texture soft | Subtidal specimens were | 122 (101–129) × 6 µm Manukau | status of this group is dubious until the specimens |
Auckland east coast, | and limp or firm and elastic; colour | more fragile; the tougher | Harbour | are critically reviewed, and a study of fresh material |
intertidal; Waiheke and | in life, cream to mauve (Bergquist & | intertidal specimens were | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | can be made. Haliclona heterofibrosa sensu strictu |
Motuihe Channels, | Warne 1980) | thought to be a response to | was synonymised with the northern European | |
Auckland east coast, 20 | increased wave exposure | species H. ( Rhizoniera) rosea (Bowerbank, 1866) | ||
m; Cornwallis, Manukau | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | (Van Soest 2017g) | ||
Harbour, Auckland west | ||||
coast, intertidal | ||||
(Bergquist & Warne, | ||||
1980) | ||||
Haliclona maxima Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 17 | ||||
Point Chevalier Reef, | Encrusting sponge occupying the | Irregular network of | Oxeas, straight or slightly curved | Endemic species characterised by the hispid, shaggy |
Waitemata Harbour, | interstices of oyster shell aggregates, | multispicular tracts, 3–10 | 293 (274–317) × 15 µm | nature of the surface, the irregular network of |
Auckland east coast; | 1–3 mm thick, up to 10 mm | spicules thick, organised | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | multispicular tracts, and the large size of the oxeas, |
intertidal (Bergquist & | (Bergquist & Warne, 1980); surface | into vertical fibres below | reminiscent of species of Xestospongia de | |
Warne, 1980) | uneven, hispid, shaggy, oscules 0.5– | the surface giving rise to | Laubenfels, 1932 (Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | |
3 mm diameter; texture soft, | spicule brushes at the | |||
compressible; colour in life fawn to | surface. Deep choanosome | |||
mustard (Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | disorganised (Bergquist & | |||
Warne, 1980) |
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Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona punctata Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 17 | ||||
Papanui Beach, | Encrusting sponge of variable | Dense network of | Oxeas, fine, straight or slightly bent | Endemic species characterised by the extremely |
Portobello, Dunedin; | thickness (2–9 mm), largest | multispicular primary | about centre | punctate nature of the surface, the conspicuous |
intertidal (Bergquist & | specimen 5 × 4 cm; surface smooth, | fibres, 6–20 spicules thick, | 96 (81–109) × 3 µm | subdermal canals radiating from the oscules, the |
Warne, 1980) | faintly hispid, extremely punctate, | with irregularly spaced | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | dense multispicular fibres and the fineness of the |
oscules on raised projections, 0.5–1 | and orientated secondary | oxeas (Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | ||
mm diameter, from which radiate | fibres and isolated | |||
conspicuous subdermal canals; | spicules, base of sponge | |||
texture soft, compressible, firm and | isolated spicules | |||
friable when very thin; colour in life | (Bergquist & Warne, | |||
cream to fawn (Bergquist & Warne, | 1980) | |||
1980) | ||||
Haliclona reversa (Kirk, 1911): 575 | ||||
Meyer Island, Kermadec | Encrusting sponge, 45 mm long × 7 | Skeleton a network of 3–5 | Oxea, blunt, slightly curved | Bergquist & Warne (1980) considered this to be a |
Islands; intertidal (Kirk, | mm thick; surface with scattered | sided polygons, joined at | 100 × 5 µm | perfectly typical species of Haliclona and that the |
1911) | oscules, 4 mm diameter (Kirk, | the nodes with barely | (Kirk 1911) | styles projecting from the surface, described by Kirk |
1911) | visible spongin (Kirk, | (1911) are artifacts | ||
1911) | ||||
Haliclona sabulosa Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 18 | ||||
Spirits Bay, Northland, | Encrusting to massive sponge, 1.5–3 | Where visible through the | Oxeas, straight, gradually tapering | Bergquist & Warne (1980) considered this unusual |
including Pandora | cm thick, with short, rounded | sand grains, skeleton is | 81 (68–95) × 5 µm | species to be a valid species of Haliclona, despite |
Beach, 8 m (Bergquist & | oscular papillae; surface even, | composed of multispicular | Sigmas, C-shaped | the skeleton being almost entirely replaced by sand |
Warne, 1980) | granular, rough, heavily invested | primary fibres with a few | 18 µm | grains. The species also possesses sigmas in the |
with sand grains, oscules 0.5–2 mm | isolated spicules joining | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | spicule complement (Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | |
diameter, flush with surface or | them, skeleton only | |||
raised on papillae; texture firm, | extending 0.2–0.4 mm | |||
crumbly; colour in life fawn to grey | below the surface. | |||
(Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | Choanosome below | |||
surface composed of sand | ||||
grains and isolated | ||||
spicules held together with | ||||
spongin (Bergquist & | ||||
Warne, 1980) |
Locality & depth | Morphology & colour | Skeleton | Spicule dimensions | Comment |
Haliclona stelliderma Bergquist & Warne, 1980: 18 | ||||
Narrow Neck, Stanley | Thin encrusting sponge found under | Sponge surface is | Oxeas, straight but slightly bent about | Endemic species characterised by conspicuous |
Bay, Ladies Bay, | boulders and ledges, up to 15 cm | composed of many | the centre | subdermal canals radiating in a stellate pattern from |
Stanmore Bay, Milford, | long, 10 cm wide, 3 mm thick; | vertical spicule bundles, | 147 (130–162) × 6–7 µm Rangitoto Is | the oscules. Haliclona petrosioides Bergquist, 1961, |
Rangitoto Island, Goat | surface even, granular, hispid, with | 10–20 spicules thick, | 137 (101–152) × 5–8 µm Mayor Is | from Rangitoto Island, was synonymised with H. |
Island Bay, Hauraki | prominent channels, 1–4 mm long, | about 1–3 spicule widths | 118 (96–134) × 6–7 µm Narrow Neck | stelliderma by Bergquist & Warne (1980), due to the |
Gulf; Coromandel; | radiating from each oscule; texture | apart, below which the | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | common possession of the characteristic subdermal |
Mayor Island, Bay of | firm, friable; colour in life white to | brushes grade into a | channels | |
Plenty; Akaroa | cream (Bergquist & Warne, 1980) | compact triangular or | ||
Peninsula; intertidal | irregular unispicular | |||
(Bergquist & Warne, | network (Bergquist & | |||
1980) | Warne, 1980) | |||
Haliclona tenacior Bergquist, 1961 sensu Bergquist (1961: 34) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 19) | ||||
Rangitoto Island, | Thickly encrusting to massive, | Skeleton a compact, | Oxeas, slightly curved | Endemic species characterised by infestation of |
Clevedon, Hauraki Gulf; | irregular sponge, usually infested | isodictyal network of | 134 (119–147) × 8 µm | commensal tube worms |
intertidal (Bergquist | with commensal tubeworms, up to | single spicules with | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | |
1961); | 5.5 cm long, 3.8 cm wide, 1.6 cm | extensive reinforcement | ||
North Piha, Cornwallis, | thick; surface uneven, minutely | by the development of | ||
Little Huia, Auckland | papillate due to worm tubes, oscules | multispicular spicule | ||
west coast; Mt | inconspicuous and flush with surface | tracts, 26–60 µm thick, | ||
Maunganui; Portobello, | or raised on projections, 1–5 mm | separated by 1–4 spicule | ||
Dunedin; intertidal | diameter; texture firm, friable; | widths. These fibres are | ||
(Bergquist & Warne | colour in life dull yellow-brown | thicker at the surface, | ||
1980) | (Bergquist & Warne 1980) | forming large spicule | ||
bundles that support the | ||||
dermal membrane | ||||
(Bergquist & Warne 1980) |
In terms of spicule dimensions, most New Zealand Haliclona species have oxeas that range in length from about 100–150 µm ( Table 2); H. sabulosa Bergquist & Warne, 1980, has the smallest oxeas, at 81 (68–95) × 5 µm and H. maxima Bergquist & Warne, 1980 has the largest, at 293 (274–317) µm long. With oxeas that range in length from 159–231 µm, H. ( S.) battershilli sp. nov. has the second largest spicules recorded for a species of Haliclona in New Zealand.
The three species most closely comparable to H. ( S.) battershilli sp. nov., in terms of oxea dimensions, are H. fragilis ( Bergquist & Warne, 1980), H. ‘laxa’ ( Lundbeck, 1902) sensu Brøndsted (1924) [ H. laxa ( Lundbeck, 1902) is now accepted as Haliclona ( Rhizoniera) rosea ( Bowerbank, 1866) in the World Porifera Database (van Soest et al. 2018d)], and H. ( S.) implexa (Schmidt, 1868) sensu Brøndsted (1924: 122) and Bergquist & Warne (1980: 17). Haliclona fragilis has oxeas 175 (131–197) µm long, and has a loose, unispicular reticulation with visible spongin, and has only been recorded from the lower intertidal ( Auckland west coast) and shallow subtidal (South Island east coast). Haliclona ( R.) rosea from Colville Channel in the Hauraki Gulf, is probably the closest species to H. ( S.) battershilli sp. nov., with oxeas 190–200 µm long, and recorded from 64 m depth. However, H. ( R.) rosea was described as tubular, about 14 cm long, with a wall about 8 mm thick. The skeleton is also similar, described as very dense with numerous interstitial spicules and composed primarily of primary fibres, 2–6 spicules wide. The primary fibres in H. ( S.) battershilli sp. nov. are rare and unispicular. Haliclona ( S.) implexa was recorded from shallow waters in the Subantarctic region of New Zealand, but Brøndsted’s description does not conform to that of Soestella sensu stricto ( Table 2), and the species is now reserved for Northern Atlantic and Mediterranean sponges; the New Zealand distribution is considered to be inaccurate ( Van Soest 2017f).
Despite the general difficulty of differentiating the many species of Haliclona in New Zealand waters, we regard H. ( S.) battershilli sp. nov. as unique, due to: 1) the restricted distribution to the Calypso hydrothermal vent fields; 2) the depth of this habitat ( 180–190 m), the deepest record for any species of Haliclona in New Zealand waters thus far; 3) the considerable size of the oxeas (159–231 µm) compared to most other species; and 4) the branching, ramose, attenuated habit, not found in any other New Zealand species.