Eleven new heteroscleromorph Demospongiae (Porifera), and a new record of the tetractinellid Ancorina corticata, from Walters Shoal, a shallow seamount on the Madagascar Ridge in the South West Indian Ocean (SWIO) Author Payne, Robyn P. Anchor Environmental Consultants, Suite 8, Steenberg House, Steenberg Office Park, Silverwood Close, Tokai 7945, Cape Town, South Africa & Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa Author Samaai, Toufiek Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Oceans and Coasts Research, PO Box 52126, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town 8000, South Africa & Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa & Iziko Museums of South Africa, Research and Exhibitions, Marine Biology, Cape Town, South Africa & Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X 3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa Author Janson, Liesl Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Oceans and Coasts Research, PO Box 52126, Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town 8000, South Africa Author Kerwath, Sven E. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X 3, Rondebosch 7701, Cape Town, South Africa & Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Fisheries Research and Development, Foretrust Building, Foreshore, Cape Town 8000, South Africa Author Gibbons, Mark J. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville 7535, Cape Town, South Africa text Zootaxa 2025 2025-01-22 5575 1 1 56 https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5575.1.1 journal article 307964 10.11646/zootaxa.5575.1.1 7d16ebc8-0256-4a1d-bb96-9c8a25821fc5 1175-5326 14746045 C73577B9-1357-43BA-9B98-7366F8B654B0

TABLE 11. Comparative external morphology, skeletal architecture, spiculation and location data for the species of Clathria (Clathria) Schmidt, 1862 from South Africa and WIO.

Species	External morphology	Colour	Architecture	Style	Dermal styles	Acanthostyles	Chelae	Toxas	Occurrence	Spicule image
Clathria (Clathria) flo Payne, Samaai & Gibbons sp. nov.	Thickly encrusting, lobate form	Orange	Regularly plumo-reticulate	Styles, smooth, curved, with well-rounded to almost subtylote-like base	Subtylostyles, smooth, straight with a terminally spined elongated base	Entirely spined	Medium	Terminally spined, in two size classes	Walters Shoal seamount	See Figure 12
Clathria (Clathria) conica Lévi, 1963	Conical with digitate surface or erect, branching	Ochre	No true spongin fibres	Smooth, curved with very small basal spines	Spiny head and pointed or truncated distal end and thorny	Entirely spined	Small palmate	Short and deep flexion and rough ends	South Africa
Clathria (Clathria) dayi Lévi, 1963	Branched with thin peduncles at base (Bushy)	Yellow	Thin membrane; Poorly developed spongin	Smooth and curved	Smooth	Strongly spined —abundant at base and recurved on the distal end	Small palmate	Strong central flexion and spiny ends	South Africa