A new species of the lithistid sponge genus Manihinea (Demospongiae: Theonellidae) from Western Australian waters

WA Museum Records and Supplements | Updated 7 years ago

ABSTRACT – This report describes a new sponge species, Manihinea lynbeazleyae sp. nov., from the warm temperate marine region of Western Australia (Indian Ocean). The presence of tetraclone desmas, phyllotriaenes as ectosomal spicules, and pseudospherasters as the only microscleres place this species within the genus Manihinea. The only other presently extant species worldwide is the type species for the genus M. conferta Pulitzer-Finali, 1993, also from the Indian Ocean. The key characters which distinguish the present species from the type species for the genus are external morphological features and details of the microscleres and desmas.