Four New Species of Genus Scalarispongia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Thorectidae) from Jejudo Island, Korea

Four New Species of Genus Scalarispongia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Thorectidae) from Jejudo Island, Korea

Four new species of genus Scalarispongia (Demospongiae: Dictyoceratida: Thorectidae) are described from Jejudo Island, Korea. These new species of Scalarispongia are compared with 14 reported species of the genus by the skeletal structure. Scalarispongia songakensis n. sp. is similar to S. lenis in sponge shape but differs in skeletal structure and meshes are not divided into two sections. The length of secondary fibres between primary fibres of this new species is much longer than S. lenis'. Scalarispongia radicula n. sp. is resembles S. songakensis in sponge shape, but this new species has pseudo-tertiary fibres at the sponge base. Scalarispongia maraensis n. sp. is very similar to S. subjiensis in sponge shape but primary fibres of this new species are not simple because fibres have wide webbing. Scalarispongia massa n. sp. is characterized by the large mass sponge shape and numerous open oscules form a long ling on the ridge of the sponge.