Hm. Reiswig et P. Champagne, THE NE ATLANTIC GLASS SPONGES PHERONEMA-CARPENTERI (THOMSON) AND PHERONEMA-GRAYI KENT (PORIFERA, HEXACTINELLIDA) ARE SYNONYMS, Zoological journal of the Linnean Society, 115(4), 1995, pp. 373-384
Since 1870, it has been generally accepted that two very similar speci
es of the amphidiscophoran genus Pheronema Leidy inhabit the NE Atlant
ic. Pheronema carpenteri (Thomson, 1869) was first described as the in
dicative organism of the 'Holtenia ground' NW of Scotland at 970 m. Ph
eronema grayi (Rent, 1870) was described from the coast of Portugal fr
om similar depth. The species were differentiated mainly by body form
and distribution of conspicuous external spiculation. Occurrences of t
he two species reported since then document their broadly overlapping
horizontal and vertical distributions at bathyal depths throughout the
NE Atlantic and E Mediterranean. Conspicuously, not one of 16 collect
ions containing either species included both species. Review of litera
ture descriptions and inspection of key specimens show that no charact
ers provide unambiguous differentiation of the two forms. Based upon t
his evidence, and discovery of correspondence in which Kent privately
negated the validity of his species, it is concluded that only one spe
cies population of Pheronema occurs in this region. Pheronema grayi is
thus a junior synonym of P. carpenteri. (C) 1995 The Linnean Society
of London.