Rossellid glass sponges (Porifera, Hexactinellida) from New Zealand waters, with description of one new genus and six new species

By

Reiswig, Henry M.
Dohrmann, Martin
Kelly, Michelle, 1961-
Mills, Sadie
Schupp, Peter
Wörheide, Gert,‏ ‎ 1965-

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2021

Original Publication

ZooKeys

Volume

1060

Pages

33--84

Subjects

Bathydorus , Caulophacus , Hexasterophora , Lyssacinosida , Nubes gen. nov , ROV Kiel 6000 , RV Sonne , Scyphidium

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1060.63307

 

Abstract

New Zealand’s surrounding deep waters have become known as a diversity hotspot for glass sponges (Porifera: Hexactinellida) in recent years, and description and collection efforts are continuing. Here we report on eight rossellids (Hexasterophora: Lyssacinosida: Rossellidae) collected during the 2017 RV Sonne cruise SO254 by ROV Kiel 6000 as part of Project PoribacNewZ of the University of Oldenburg, Germany. The material includes six species new to science, two of which are assigned to a so far undescribed genus; we further re-describe two previously known species. The known extant rossellid diversity from the New Zealand region is thus almost doubled, from nine species in five genera to 17 species in eight genera. The specimens described here are only a small fraction of hexactinellids collected on cruise SO254. Unfortunately, the first author passed away while working on this collection, only being able to complete the nine descriptions reported here. The paper concludes with an obituary to him, the world-leading expert on glass sponge taxonomy who will be greatly missed.