Miklucho-Maclay, 1868

Species Overview

Guancha blanca Miklucho-Maclay (1868) is an easily recognizable calcareous sponge because of its globular body on a thin stalk, making it resemble a balloon on a string. It is whitish in colour. It is often overlooked because of its small size. There is a second similar stalked sponge, G. lacunosa which differs in having oxeas next to to the triradiate spicules (microscopical examination).

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Whitish.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Stipitate, small, consisting of a tightly interlocked mass of tubules. Seldom exceeding 3 mm in height. Apical oscule. Consistency fragile.
Spicules: (Guancha blanca spics) Calcareous. Triactines only, equiangular or sagittal, basal rays: 75-90 µm long, paired rays: 30-45 µm.
Skeleton: Ascon-type arrangement.
Ecology: From the Laminaria-zone to 830 m.
Distribution: Arctic, Norway, Baltic, Atlantic; also reported from the Mediterranean and the Indian and Pacific Ocean.
Type specimen information: No type material in BMNH.

Remarks

This species differs from the closely similar G. lacunosa in the absence of oxeas. Originally it was recorded from the Arctic, but subsequently from other parts of the world. These subsequent records need confirmation.
Source: Burton, 1963.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Porifera
Class Calcarea
Subclass Calcinea
Order Clathrinida
Family Clathrinidae
Genus Guancha
Species Guancha blanca

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Guancha blanca Miklucho-Maclay, 1868

Scientific synonyms and common names

Guancha blanca n.sp. Miklucho-Maclay, 1868: 221, pl.IV figs. 1A-B, 2, 4, 8-9, pl. V fig. 16.
Leucosolenia macleayi: Burton, 1930a: 487; Arndt, 1935: 8, fig. 8 (probably not Ascetta macleayi n.sp. Von Lendenfeld, 1885 from Australia).
Leucosolenia blanca: Burton, 1963: 183, figs. 36-37

Arndt, W., 1935. Porifera. Tierwelt Nord.-Ostsee, IIIa: 1-140, figs. 1-239.

Burton, M., 1930a. Norwegian sponges from the Norman collection. Proc. zool. Soc. London, 2: 487-546.

Burton, M., 1963. A revision of the classification of the calcareous sponges. British Museum (Natural History), London. 693 pp.

Miklucho-Maclay, N., 1868. Beiträge zur Kenntniss der Spongien. I. Über Guancha blanca einen neuen Kalkschwamm. Jenaische Z., 4: 221-240.

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