Synonymy of Abyssocladia mucronata Vacelet, 2020 with Echinostylinos gorgonopsis Lévi, 1993

摘要

A new species of Abyssocladia Lévi, 1964 (family Cladorhizidae Dendy, 1922), presumably carnivorous Abyssocladia mucronata Vacelet, 2020, was described from New Caledonia without a close comparison to Echinostylinos gorgonopsis Lévi, 1993 (family Phellodermidae Van Soest & Hajdu, 2002) from a nearby location and at the same depth. The branching habit, skeleton, and spicules are very similar (Table 1 and Figure 1) and include modified isochelae with intermingled teeth and alae similar to those described in Echinostylinos glomeris (Topsent, 1904). The only difference appears to be that the canals and some openings described for E. gorgonopsis were not observed in A. mucronata, although the latter species is known from more numerous specimens that are possibly better preserved.