Lafoeina maxima (Levinsen, 1893)

Picture: Fig. 1

Picture: Fig. 2

Picture: Fig. 3

SYNONYMY

Keratosum complexum Hargitt, 1909

DESCRIPTION

Large, sponge-like colonies (Fig.1) consisting of erect branched or un-branched stem or producing a stolonal mat (the second one not seen in the Svalbard collection). Stems polysiphonic, densly covered with hydrothecae and nemathothecae (Fig. 2, Fig.3). Hydrothecae tubular, often bent, with no pedicel. Operculum conical with many triangular valves, lacking basal crease-line (Fig.3). Numerous nematothecae between hydrothecae, in the form of narrow tubes with rounded distal end. Gonothecae not well described.

DISTRIBUTION IN SVALBARD

Hornsund, Kongsfjorden, Rijpfjorden, Tommeloyane

WORLD DISTRIBUTION

Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Barents Sea, White Sea, Kara Sea, Laptev Sea, East Siberian Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Sea, Alaska, Sea of Okhotsk

DEPTH

23-148 m

SUBSTRATE

Rock

REPRODUCTION

Probably sporosac. Gonothecae not seen in the Svalbard collection.