Porifera name details
original description
Wilson, H.V. (1925). Silicious and horny sponges collected by the U.S. Fisheries Steamer ‘Albatross' during the Philippine Expedition,1907-10. pp. 273-532, pls 37-52. <i>In</i>: Contributions to the biology of the Philippine Archipelago and adjacent regions. <em>Bulletin of the United States National Museum.</em> 100 (2, part 4). page(s): 317-319 [details]
basis of record
Van Soest, R.W.M. (2024). Correcting sponge names: nomenclatural update of lower taxa level Porifera. <em>Zootaxa.</em> 5398(1): 1-122., available online at https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5398.1.1 page(s): 55-56 [details] Available for editors [request]
Holotype USNM 21266, geounit Palawan/North Borneo [details]
From editor or global species database
Synonymy The variety was described by Wilson from Palawan Island, North Balabac Strait, Bugsuk Island, Albatross Exped. 5355, 8.1361°N 117.321°E, depth 80 m (wet holotype USNM 21266). The main difference of the variety with the typical variety from Japan described by Sollas (1888: 256 as Cydonium japonicum, dried holotype BMNH 1894.7.6.5, probably from Sagami Bay, but no further locality data) is the habitus, which is a large cup in Sollas’ specimen whereas the var. spherulifera is small and globular with a central depression. Other authors reporting specimens of G. japonica described various shapes, including small and globular (e.g. Alaskan specimens of Lehnert & Stone 2016: Fig. 2a). There are discrepancies in the spiculation between the varieties, e.g. Sollas does not mention mesotriaene spicules in his type description, found in modest quantities in Wilson’s material (called ‘promesotriaenes’ by Wilson, but likely to be orthomesotriaenes). Other authors describing G. japonica, Thiele (1898: 7), Von Lendenfeld (1903: 111), and Sim (1982: 2) likewise did not mention mesotriaenes, but Von Lendenfeld (1910: 235) and Lehnert & Stone (2016: 366) do report them. Sphere-like cortical ‘pycnasters’ in Japanese specimens of G. japonica appear comparable to the small cortical strongylasters reported for Wilson’s variety. Lehnert & Stone (2016: Table 2) compared the various G. japonica descriptions but omitted to include the var. spherulifera. The conclusion is that Sollas’ description is likely incomplete making the distinction with the present variety and identifications of subsequent authors uncertain. Van Soest (2024: 55) proposed to merge for the time being the varieties into a single wide-spread species Geodia japonica (Sollas, 1888) (Alaska, Korea, Japan, Philippines). [details]
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