Hymedesmia areolata

sensu Könnecker, 1973

Species Overview

Hymedesmia areolata sensu Könnecker, 1973 is an undescribed species of Hymedesmia , which has been recorded under a name obviously wrong. Its characters remain to be further described.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: No data.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Thinly encrusting. No further data.
Spicules: Megascleres : Oxeote tornotes, entirely spined acanthostyles.
Microscleres : Chelae of 25 µm.
Skeleton: No data, presumably hymedesmoid.
Ecology: On cliffs and gravel, 15-45 m.
Distribution: SW Ireland.

Remarks

Könnecker (1973) recorded this species under the name areolata Thiele (1905), presumably after keying it out using Lundbeck's (1910) key. H . areolata is a Phorbas originally described from South Chile and reliably recorded also from Antarctica. No further records are known and Könnecker's record is thus highly suspect. The species may be distinct but remains to be further characterized.
Source: Könnecker (1973).