A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
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71. Stelodoryx oxeata Lehnert, S<strong>to</strong>ne and Heimler, 2006<br />
Description. This species exhibits two growth forms.<br />
One is a stalked, conical form with a ridged surface.<br />
The o<strong>the</strong>r is a massively encrusting, lobate sponge with<br />
a smooth surface. Consistency is ra<strong>the</strong>r hard and only<br />
slightly elastic, due <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> densely packed spicules in<br />
<strong>the</strong> ec<strong>to</strong>some. The stalked specimen has a stalk <strong>of</strong> 2 ×<br />
0.7 cm, and <strong>the</strong> body is 5 × 4 cm in greatest dimensions.<br />
Color in life for both growth forms is greenish yellow<br />
<strong>to</strong> light green.<br />
Skeletal structure. SEM images <strong>of</strong> spicules are shown<br />
in Appendix IV. Ec<strong>to</strong>some is densely packed with a tangential<br />
arrangement <strong>of</strong> <strong>to</strong>rnotes, peculiar shaped oxeas,<br />
and microscleres. The choanosome consists in places<br />
<strong>of</strong> an irregular reticulation <strong>of</strong> single spicules or short<br />
spicule tracts. Megascleres are oxeas (517–558 × 20–<br />
30 µm); <strong>the</strong> points <strong>of</strong> oxeas have a ragged, dented<br />
outline. Tornotes have acanthose ends (230–270 × 9–<br />
11 µm). Microscleres are large isochelae (54–110 µm),<br />
medium-sized isochelae (23–32 µm), small anchorate<br />
isochelae (9–13 µm), and thin centrotylote sigmas<br />
(8–12 µm).<br />
Zoogeographic distribution. Uncommon. In Alaska<br />
– central Aleutian Islands. Elsewhere – not reported.<br />
Habitat. Attached <strong>to</strong> cobbles and pebbles at depths<br />
between 175 and 712 m.<br />
Pho<strong>to</strong>s. 1) Specimen collected at a depth <strong>of</strong> 395 m<br />
in <strong>the</strong> central Aleutian Islands. Grid marks are 1 cm 2 .<br />
2) Specimen (indicated by <strong>the</strong> white arrow) collected<br />
at a depth <strong>of</strong> 711 m in <strong>the</strong> central Aleutian Islands.<br />
The separation between <strong>the</strong> red laser marks is 10 cm.<br />
3) Specimen (<strong>to</strong>p, center) collected at a depth <strong>of</strong> 175 m<br />
in <strong>the</strong> central Aleutian Islands. The separation between<br />
<strong>the</strong> red laser marks is 10 cm.<br />
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