Lissodendoryx (Lissodendoryx) colombiensis Zea & Van Soest, 1986

Figures 83 a–g

Lissodendoryx colombiensis Zea & Van Soest, 1986: 362, figs 2E–F, 4; Rützler et al. 2007b: 1499, figs 1D,4.

Material examined. RMNH Por. 9901, 9961, 9988, 10505, Suriname, ‘ Snellius O.C.P.S. ’ Guyana Shelf Expedition, station F40, 7.0033°N 56.4417°W, depth 59 m, bottom sand, 6 May 1966; RMNH Por. 9970, Suriname, ‘ Snellius O.C.P.S. ’ Guyana Shelf Expedition, station G56, 7.26°N 56.6667°W, depth 67–68 m, Agassiz trawl, 10 May 1966; RMNH Por. 10514, Suriname, ‘ Snellius O.C.P.S. ’ Guyana Shelf Expedition, station F46, 6.312°N 56.57°W, depth 25–29 m, bottom sand, 7 May 1966.

Description. The six samples all consist of tubular individuals (Fig. 83 a), largest up to 6 cm high, 2 cm diameter, thin-walled (2–3 mm). A larger basal body described by Zea & Van Soest (1986) and Rützler et al. (2007b) was not clearly included in the available material; presumably it has remained behind buried in the sandy bottom. On-deck photos of French Guyanan specimens of the CREOCEAN expedition do have considerable massive basal bodies of up to 10 cm diameter. Tubes end in slightly constricted rims enclosing openings of about 1 cm diameter. Color in alcohol pale yellow-brown; on-deck photos of the species made by the CREOCEAN expedition show it is bright orange in life. Consistency elastic.

Skeleton. The surface skeleton is barely developed, consisting of tangentially scattered tylotes. The choanosomal skeleton is a tightly meshed triangular network, meshes about 150 µm in diameter, with 2–5 spicules each side. Microscleres scattered in between the spicule bundles.

Spicules. (Figs 83 b–g) Strongyles, tylotes, arcuate isochelae, sigmas, raphides.

Strongyles (Figs 83 b,b1), straight, smooth, slightly thicker and shorter than the tylotes, 171– 181 –198 x 7 – 8.2 –9 µm.

Tylotes (Figs 83 c,c1), straight, smooth, with faintly developed tyles, distinguished from the similar strongyles by being marginally longer and thinner, 183– 199 –214 x 3 – 4.6 –6 µm.

Arcuate isochelae, with curved shaft and short alae, in two size categories, (1) larger (Fig. 83 d) 26– 29.2 –34 µm, and (2) smaller (Fig. 83 e) 13– 17.5 –21 µm.

Sigmas (Fig. 83 f), thin, inequiended (one end curved gently rounded, the other abruptly curved), 27– 29.8 –36 µm.

Raphides (Fig. 83 g), loosely arranged in trichodragmas (Fig. 83 g1), many strewn singly, 60– 65.4 –76 µm, trichodragmas 3–8 µm thick.

Distribution and ecology. Guyana Shelf, Colombia, Florida, Panama, Belize, lagoons, mangroves, sandy bottoms at 0.2–68 m depth (Guyana Shelf 25–68 m).

Remarks. The present specimens closely match the descriptions of the type material of Zea & Van Soest (1986) and subsequently reported specimens (Rützler et al. 2007b).