Spongosorites annandalei

(Ferrer-Hernandez, 1922)

Species Overview

Spongosorites annandalei (Ferrer-Hernandez, 1922) is a massive sponge with a ridged but smooth surface. It has been recorded only once from the NW coast of Spain.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Not recorded.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: (Spongosorites annandalei 2) Thick mass with undulating-ridged, shiny surface. Size not recorded. Small oscules lie in linear depressions. No data on consistency.
Spicules: (Spongosorites annandalei spics) Oxeas and stylote modifications, more or less strongly and abruptly curved, in a large size range, dividable in two overlapping categories, 320-400 x 5 µm, concentrated in the peripheral region, and 400-800 x 12 µm. Stylote modifications are usually shorter than the oxeas.
Skeleton: Mostly confused, with irregular spicule tracts. The ectosomal skeleton consists of a palisade of smaller oxeas. The choanosomal tracts may occasionally form thick columns.
Ecology: No data.
Distribution: NW Spain.
Etymology: Named after N. Annandale, Indian sponge specialist in the first half of the 20th century, who did some important monographs on Asian freshwater sponges, as well as some studies on Indian marine sponges, notably excavating sponges.
Type specimen information: The type specimen is presumably in the Santander Museum.

Remarks

The rather inadequate description of Ferrer is all we have as information on this species. Van Soest et al. (1990) classed it as a Topsentia , but in view of the smooth shiny surface and the choanosomal tracts it is more likely a member of Spongosorites . It differs from other Spongosorites species of the area in the greater length of the oxeas (up to 800 µm, whereas other species do not reach beyond 400-500 µm).
Source: Ferrer-Hernandez, 1922.