Vosmaeria laevigata

Topsent, 1896

Species Overview

Vosmaeria laevigata Topsent, 1896 is a yellowish, thinly encrusting smooth sponge. It can only be reliably identified by study of the spiculation (microscopic examination). It is only known from Roscoff and its status is dubious.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Yellowish.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Encrusting, with smooth surface. Firm consistency.
Spicules: Tylostyles, thin, straight, with sub-mucronated tyle, sometimes lobate: 130-360 x 4-6 µm; oxeas, relatively thin, slightly curved, with sharp points: 580-600 x 6-10 m.
Skeleton: High spicular density. Spicules intercross without apparent order, tylostyles and oxeas are intermingled. The proportion of tylostyles is relatively highest.
Ecology: Intertidal (e.g. in the Chenal d'Ile Verte under boulders), down to 60 m.
Distribution: Roscoff.
Etymology: Laevigatus (Latin) = smooth, referring to the absence of papillae.
Type specimen information: The type is in the Paris Museum.

Remarks

The species differs from V . crustacea in the absence of surface papillae. The status of this species is unsatisfactory and needs to be confirmed.
Source: Topsent, 1896.