Desmanthus incrustans

Desmanthus incrustans (Topsent, 1889) (Figure 10) Aciculites incrustans Topsent, 1889: 32–33, fig 1, Desmanthus incrustans, Topsent, 1894: 311–315. Material examined: ESFM-POR / 2017-77, T5, 200–300 m, on amphora, 5 specimens. Description: Encrusting species, light yellow when alive (Figure 10 a, b). Specimens are firm and rigid. It has a hispid surface due to the lithisthid skeleton consisting of basal desmas and steeply protruding spicules (styles). There is no obvious oscular opening. It consists of desmas resembling a staghorn as a skeletal arrangement (100– 180 μm × 5–8 μm) (Figure 10 b, c). Styles curved at the base: (300–400 × 4–8 µm). Habitat and distribution: This species was reported from reef habitats and caves at 12–30 m (List-Armitage & Hooper 2002). It appears to have an Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution (de Voogd et al. 2024). Although it was also encountered in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, these records appear to be dubious according to Van Soest & Hajdu (2000). According to de Voogd et al. (2024), Desmanthus incrustans could be a complex of species and the Mediterranean individuals show different morphological features when compared to the Carribean and West tropical Atlantic individuals. This is a new record for the eastern Mediterranean Sea.