Six new species of Hyattella (Porifera: Dictyoceratida: Spongiidae) from the Southern Coast of India

The Sponges of the family Spongiidae have seven genera and occur in a wide variety of forms from low encrusting to upright massive forms. Among these the species of the genus Hyattella from India had been described in a very confusing manner. Present work revises the species reported from India. Six new species Hyattella repandus n. sp., Hyattella macrophylla n. sp., Hyattella foliata n. sp., Hyattella vedalainensis n. sp., Hyattella diffusa n. sp. and Hyattella oblongus n. sp. were added to the fauna of India. The Hyattella macrophylla n. sp. has uneven surface with folding, less cored primary fibres and smaller diameter of primary fibres. The Hyattella foliata n. sp. is like flower petals shape, thicker diameter of primary as well as secondary fibres. Hyattella vedalainensis n. sp., is characterised by a small arborescent flat sponge body, small oscules, densely cored primary fibers as compared to other four species. H. diffusa n. sp. is an arborescent, small tubular branch and high diameter of the primary fibres. The H. oblongus n. sp. is a globate and massive, less diameter of the primary fibres.

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