Protosuberites undetermined

Protosuberites sp. Fig. 24 Material examined (3 specimens) SWEDEN • 1 spec.; Saltbacken; 59.0832° N, 11.2242° E; 24Apr. 2018; Mats Larsson leg. [MM-180424- 1]; SCUBA; LAR-180424-4583–4584; GenBank no.: OM436223 (coxI); voucher: GNM Porifera 1114 • 1 spec.; Svartejan; 59.1102° N, 11.3219° E; 4 Dec. 2018; Mats Larsson leg. [MM-181204-1]; SCUBA; LAR-181204-8156, 8159–8160; GenBank nos: OM628824 (coxI), OM415645 (28S D3- D5); voucher: GNM Porifera 1115 • 1 spec.; same collection data as for preceding; LAR-181218-8476, 8478, 8481; voucher: GNM Porifera 1116. Description The specimens were all thin encrusting, 6 mm of maximum diameter (Fig. 24A–C). The alive colour was pale yellow or greenish yellow turning beige when preserved in ethanol. The surface is microhispid, with visible spicules in bouquets/bundles (Fig. 24D). The pores as well as the oscula are visible. Oscules are elevated in translucid chimneys (Fig. 24A–B). Skeleton Skeleton is confused apart from the bouquets/bundles of tylostyles on the surface. Megascleres are tylostyles (Fig. 24E), usually straight and with a very defined head, rarely displaced in the shaft (Fig. 24F) or in ring shape. They are in a wide size range, but not separated in discrete size classes (Fig. 24C), measuring 74.4– 187.9 –449.9± 101.8× 2.3– 3.6 –3.4 ±1.4 µm (N= 13). Some tylostyles are slightly curved near the tyle. No microscleres were found. Remarks There are currently nine valid species of Protosuberites reported in the Mediterranean and the NEA. The external morphology in colour and in habitus is similar to what is described for the common European P. denhartogi van Soest & de Kluijver, 2003, and this includes the subsurface patterns. However, our specimens present tylostyles smaller than what is reported for P. denhartogi, which presents the smallest size of tylostyles (74 µm in length) in one occurrence whereas the remaining spicules are all bigger than 100 µm, averaging 248 µm in size. In contrast, our specimens have an average spicule size of 189 µm. We were inclined to call these specimens P. denhartogi, but coxI does not group with a sequence of P. denhartogi (Fig. 2). Therefore, we prefer to call these specimens Protosuberites sp. for now. More specimens of Protosuberites need to be barcoded to begin to understand this group.