Hymedesmia minuta

Alander, 1935

Species Overview

Hymedesmia minuta Alander, 1935 is a very thin microhispid crust on deep water corals (Lophelia ) recorded only once from Sweden. Its status needs confirmation.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Grey in alcohol.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Very thin crust. Surface somewhat uneven, minutely hispid.
Spicules: Megascleres : Tornotes are polytylote anisotylotes: 160-215 x 2-3 µm; acanthostyles in the usual two size classes, both entirely spined, heads provided with strong recurved spines: 150-210 x 10-12 µm and 70-90 x 6-7 µm.
Microscleres : Arcuate chelae with slightly inward-directed, short alae: 20-22 µm.
Skeleton: Hymedesmoid.
Ecology: Deep water, on Lophelia , 85 m.
Distribution: Known only from Sweden.
Type specimen information: No data.

Remarks

This is an ill-known species characterized by small, strongly spined acanthostyles and polytylote tornotes. These characters are not particularly unusual for Hymedesmia so the specific distinctness of this is not well-established.
Source: Alander (1935).