SYSTEMATIC STATUS OF HALICHONDRIA JAPONICA (KADOTA) (DEMOSPONGIAE, HALICHONDRIDA) FROM JAPAN
Abstract
Halichondria japonica (Kadota, 1922) is a thick and broadly encrusting sponge commonly found on intertidal rocky shores around Japan and also recorded from Korea. Two morphotypes, one orange and one yellow, are here compared on the basis of their skeletal composition and arrangement, larval morphology, and the ribosomal DNA sequences. We proved that the two morphotypes represent two distinct species that should be classified within the genus Hymeniacidon and not Halichondria. We suggest Hymeniacidon japonica (Kadota, 1922) as the revised specific assignation for the bright orange morphotype of “Halichondria japonica” (Kadota, 1922). The definite specific assignation for these species must await a taxonomic comparison with other Hymeniacidon species from the Pacific.Downloads
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2018-05-23
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