Search

Dragmaxia undata Alvarez, Van Soest & Rützler, 1998 Figures 32 a–c Dragmaxia undata Alvarez, Van Soest & Rützler, 1998: 26, fig. 15; Rützler et al. 2014: 71. Material examined. RMNH Por. 9821, Suriname, ‘ Snellius O.C.P.S. ’ Guyana Shelf Expedition, station E66, 7.1°N 56.1783°W, depth 65 m, Agassiz trawl, 13 May 1966. Description. Erect digitations (Fig. 32 a) on a cushion-shaped basis attached to a dead shell. Height of specimen 4 cm, dimensions of the two digitations 1–1.5 cm high and 0.5 cm diameter. Surface irregular, encrusted with bryozoans, microhispid, semitransparent, whitish-yellowish in color (alcohol preserved). Consistency firm. Skeleton. This consists of largely confused single styles, but vague tracts of spicules are directed upwards into the digitations. Styles partially penetrate the surface. No visible spongin. Many open spaces. Straight, or more frequently, wavy trichodragmas are numerous between the styles. Spicules. (Figs 32 b–c) Styles, trichodragmas. Styles (Fig. 32 b,b1), slightly to strongly curved, seldom straight, more or less equidiametrical over much of their length, sharply pointed, 690– 893 – 1046 x 13 – 19.2 –26 µm. Trichodragmas (Figs 32 c,c1), curved and wavy, seldom straight, raphides provided at both ends with one or two hook-like spines (Fig. 32 c1), 184– 220 –258 x 4 – 6.4 –9 µm. Distribution and ecology. Guyana Shelf, Curaçao, Bonaire, Colombian Caribbean, Belize, in cryptic reef habitats and at greater depth on shelly slopes, at 0.5–65 m depth (previously down to 35 m). Remarks. The present specimen differs in shape from the type material and from the Belize material, as these were basically encrusting. However, the digitate shape clearly developed from an encrusting base, so it may merely represent a more developed form in a habitat with less competition. Spicule shapes and sizes conform closely to the type material. The Belize material apparently had trichodragmas up to 600 µm, considerably longer than trichodragmas in the type material and the Guyana material., Published as part of Van, Rob W. M., 2017, Sponges of the Guyana Shelf, pp. 1-225 in Zootaxa 1 on pages 50-51, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.272951, {"references":["Alvarez, B., van Soest, R. W. M. & Rutzler, K. (1998) A revision of the Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) of the Central- West Atlantic region. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 598, 1 - 47. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00810282.598","Rutzler, K., Piantoni, C., Van Soest, R. W. M. & Diaz, M. C. (2014) Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay. Zootaxa, 3805 (1), 1 - 129. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 3805.1.1"]}

The fatty acid composition of whole phospholipids from marine sponges collected from the Colombian Caribbean Sea was determined as part of our studies on the order Halichondrida: Halichondria magniconulosa , Halichondria lutea, Petromica ciocalyptoides, Axinyssa ambrosia, Didiscus oxeata and Dragmaxia undata . Structure elucidation was accomplished by means of gas chromatography retention parameters and GCMS. Eight new fatty acids were identified by their methyl esters and N-acylpyrrolidide derivatives (i.e. 5-methyl-6-octadecenoic, 16-methyl-11-heptadecenoic, 8-methyl-4-tetracosenoic, 8,17-dimethyl-5-octadecenoic, 23-methyl-8-tetracosenoic, 20-methyl-18-tetracosenoic, 4,17-tetracosadienoic and 22,27-dimethyl-5,9-octacosadienoic acids). These findings establish alternative fatty acid biosynthetic possibilities for these organisms.

Dragmaxia undata Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 1998 Synonymy and references. Dragmaxia undata Alvarez, van Soest & Rützler, 1998: Alvarez et al. (1998): 26 (with synonyms). Material. USNM 1229073, Carrie Bow forereef slope, 15–35 m; coral rock, underside. K. Ruetzler col. 26 April 1974. USNM 1229074, Carrie Bow reef flat, underside of corrugated roofing tile, 0.5 m; K, Ruetzler col. 1 May 1974. USNM 1191336, Off Curlew Bank, forereef cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni col. 2 Jul 2007. USNM 1229075, Carrie Bow forereef cave wall, 25 m; M. C. Diaz col. 8 Sep 2009. Comparative material: USNM 39451; paratype from Curaçao. External morphology. Crusts and cushions, 4–30 cm 2, up to 10 mm thick, with corrugated, hispid surface. Brittle, bright orange red in life. Skeleton structure. Tracts of styles leading toward surface and protruding from the ectosome. Criss-cross arrangement of styles and abundant trichodragmas in between. Spicules. Styles and subtylostyles of great size range, gently curved, some with subterminal asymmetrical swellings: 300– 1280 x 7–28 (890 x 16) Μm; raphids, making up trichodragmas, are 60–600 x> 1–2 (254 x 1) Μm; they have fine spines near the ends, pointing back toward the shaft. Ecology. In cave habitats, including the lower surface of platy (coral) rubble, 0.5– 35 m. Distribution. Known from the Netherlands Antilles and Colombia, now also from Belize. Comments. The mean dimension of spicules in our material are larger than those in one paratype we examined (USNM 39451) but they still fall within the ranges of length and width. The great length of some raphids (bundled in trichodragmas) is unusual for known sponges., Published as part of Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, pp. 1-129 in Zootaxa 3805 (1) on page 71, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3805.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/249983, {"references":["Alvarez, B., van Soest, R. W. M. & Rutzler, K. (1998) A Revision of the Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) of the Central- West Atlantic Region. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, 598, 1 - 47. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.5479 / si. 00810282.598"]}

Alvarez, Belinda, Rob W.M. van Soest, and Klaus Rutzler. A Revision of Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) of the Central West Atlantic Region. Smithsonian Contributions to Zoology, number 598,47 pages, 23 figures, 18 tables, 1998.—Twenty-one species of the family Axinellidae (sensu Levi) reside in the central West Atlantic region, from the Carolinas to the southern Caribbean. They are distributed in seven genera, and five are new species: Axinella pomponiae, A. meandroides, PseudaxinellaC?) zeai, Dragmaxia undata, and Auletta tuberosa. A taxonomic diagnosis of these genera and species indicates that the nominal genera Teichaxinella de Laubenfels and Homaxinella Topsent previously recorded from the region are invalid and that in the study area their species can be allocated to Axinella. Acanthella and Ptilocaulis, traditionally grouped with the Axinellidae but recently allocated to the families Dictyonellidae and Desmoxyidae of the Order Halichondrida (sensu van Soest et al., 1990), are included in this revision because the scope of the other families has not yet been established. Ptilocaulis, at least, is shown to be closely related to Axinella. OFFICIAL PUBLICATION DATE is handstamped in a limited number of initial copies and is recorded in the Institution's annual report, Annals of the Smithsonian Institution. SERIES COVER DESIGN: The coral Montastrea cavernosa (Linnaeus). Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Alvarez, Belinda. A revision of Axinellidae (Porifera : Demospongiae) of the Central West Atlantic region / Belinda Alvarez, Rob W.M. van Soest, and Klaus Rutzler. p. cm. — (Smithsonian contributions to zoology ; no. 598) Includes bibliographical references (p. 45) and index. 1. Axinellidae—Atlantic Coast (U.S.)—Classification. 2. Axinellidae—Caribbean Sea—Classification. I. Soest, R. W. M. van. II. Rutzler, Klaus. III. Title. IV. Series. QL1.S54 no. 598 [QL373.D4] 590 s—dc21 [593.4'6] 98-16422