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. 2025 Dec 3:1262:81-96.
doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1262.164821. eCollection 2025.

Two new species of Hyalonema (Hexactinellida, Amphidiscosida, Hyalonematidae) from the Indo-West Pacific

Lin Gong  1   2 , Edwin Setiawan  3 , Xinzheng Li  1   2   4 , Swee Cheng Lim  5
Affiliations

Two new species of Hyalonema (Hexactinellida, Amphidiscosida, Hyalonematidae) from the Indo-West Pacific

Lin Gong et al. Zookeys. .

Abstract

This study describes two new species collected from deep-sea environments in the Indo-West Pacific. Hyalonema (Cyliconema) dexiangisp. nov., collected from the Indian Ocean, is characterized by distinctive finger-like protuberances on the body surface, the presence of choanosomal pentactins, the co-occurrence of micropentactins and microhexactins, and the absence of mesamphidiscs. Hyalonema (Cyliconema) subconicasp. nov., sampled from a seamount in the western Pacific Ocean, is distinguished by the presence of pinular diactins, a unique combination of choanosomal spicules (diactins, pentactins, and hexactins), and the presence of basalia bearing two-toothed anchors. In addition to their morphological distinctions, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rDNA sequences indicate a close genetic relationship between the two species.

Keywords: Deep sea; Hyalonema (Cyliconema) dexiangi sp. nov.; Hyalonema (Cyliconema) subconica sp. nov.; glass sponge; new species; phylogeny; taxonomy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Type locations of species of Hyalonema (Cyliconema): 1. H. (Cyliconema) abyssale; 2. H. (Cyliconema) apertum; 3. H. (Cyliconema) clavapinulatum; 4. H. (Cyliconema) coniforme; 5. H. (Cyliconema) conqueror; 6. H. (Cyliconema) curvisclera; 7. H. (Cyliconema) drygalskii; 8. H. (Cyliconema) eupinnulum; 9. H. (Cyliconema) globiferum; 10. H. (Cyliconema) hozawai; 11. H. (Cyliconema) infundibulum; 12. H. (Cyliconema) keiense; 13. H. (Cyliconema) lanceolatum; 14. H. (Cyliconema) madagascarense; 15. H. (Cyliconema) martabanense; 16. H. (Cyliconema) masoni; 17. H. (Cyliconema) molle; 18. H. (Cyliconema) nicobaricum; 19. H. (Cyliconema) ovatum; 20. H. (Cyliconema) pirum; 21. H. (Cyliconema) polycaulum; 22. H. (Cyliconema) rapa; 23. H. (Cyliconema) simile; 24. H. (Cyliconema) somalicum; 25. H. (Cyliconema) tasmani; 26. H. (Cyliconema) tenerum; 27. H. (Cyliconema) thomsonis; 28. H. (Cyliconema) timorense; 29. H. (Cyliconema) tulipa; 30. H. (Cyliconema) valdiviae; 31. H. (Cyliconema) dexiangi sp. nov.; 32. H. (Cyliconema) subconica sp. nov.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Hyalonema (Cyliconema) dexiangi sp. nov. A, B. External morphology of the specimen; C. Finger-like protuberances of the specimen; D. Holes left after the basalia torn off during bottom trawling; E, F. Atrial surface.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
SEM images of spicules of Hyalonema (Cyliconema) dexiangi sp. nov. A. Atrial pinular pentactin; B. Dermal pinular pentactin; C. Canalarial pinular pentactin; D. Microhexactin; E. Micropentactin; F. Details of diactin; G. Diactin; H. Dermal pentactin; I. Pinular diactin; J. Macramphidisc; K. Micramphidisc.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian inference (BI) analysis based on 16S rDNA. The numbers at each node are Bayesian posterior probabilities (PP, left) and UFBoot (right) values. Support values under 50% are not shown.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Hyalonema (Cyliconema) subconica sp. nov. A, B. Photograph showing its natural growth form on the seabed; C–E. External morphology of the specimen after being lifted out of seawater.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
The skeleton of Hyalonema (Cyliconema) subconica sp. nov. A. Atrial skeleton; B. Dermal skeleton.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
SEM images of spicules of Hyalonema (Cyliconema) subconica sp. nov. A. Choanosomal pentactin; B. Diactin; C. Pinular diactin; D. Dermal pinular pentactin; E. Atrial pinular pentactin; F. Canalarial pinular pentactin; G. Macramphidisc; H. Mesamphidisc; I. Micramphidisc; J. Micropentactin; K. Basalia; L. Details of the micramphidisc.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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