Van Soest, R.W.M.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Butler, P.J. (2020). Every sponge its own name: removing Porifera homonyms. Zootaxa. 4745(1): 1-93., available online athttps://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4745.1.1 page(s): 51 [details] Available for editors [request]
Nomenclature We cite here Van Soest et al.'s (2020: 50) explanation for the nomen novum.
Removal of homonymy between Verongula rigida...
Nomenclature We cite here Van Soest et al.'s (2020: 50) explanation for the nomen novum.
Removal of homonymy between Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794) and Stelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814).
1. Spongia rigida Esper, 1794: 247 (type locality unknown, presumably Caribbean). Spongia rigida Esper, 1794 (p. 247, pl. XXVII figs 1–2) was described unrecognizably by Esper, its origin was not known to him, and no type material survived. Nevertheless, Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864: 61, pl. XII fig. 1) recognized Esper’s description and illustration, and redescribed it from freshly collected and dried material as Luffaria rigida from the Virgin Islands, Carribean. Wiedenmayer (1977: 77) described a Bahamas specimen under the mistaken name Verongula ardis (De Laubenfels, 1950a: 31). Klaus Rützler (in litteris) found De Laubenfels’ species to be a junior synonym of Aiolochroia crassa (Hyatt, 1875: 401). Van Soest (1978: 67) subsequently adopted Duchassaing & Michelotti’s (1864) redescription by renaming the species as Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794). The species is a common member of the Caribbean reef community. It is the senior primary homonym (ICZN Art. 57.2) of Montagu’s Spongia rigida.
2. Spongia rigida Montagu, 1814: 87 (type locality Devon, United Kingdom). This well-known species is accepted as Stelligera rigida, and is recently redescribed by Ackers et al. (1992: 70) and reviewed by Morrow et al. (2019: 14). There are small differences with the congeneric but senior Stelligera stuposa (Ellis & Solander, 1786: 186). No obvious synonyms of both have been identified. As a junior primary homonym the present species needed to be renamed (ICZN Art. 60.3).
3. Summary: Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794) as senior primary homonym is to be maintained (ICZN Art. 57.2). Stelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814) is a junior primary homonym without obvious synonyms, which demanded renaming
(ICZN Art. 60.3). To remove the homonymy, Stelligera montagui nom. nov. was proposed, named after George Montagu. [details]
de Voogd, N.J.; Alvarez, B.; Boury-Esnault, N.; Cárdenas, P.; Díaz, M.-C.; Dohrmann, M.; Downey, R.; Goodwin, C.; Hajdu, E.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Kelly, M.; Klautau, M.; Lim, S.C.; Manconi, R.; Morrow, C.; Pinheiro, U.; Pisera, A.B.; Ríos, P.; Rützler, K.; Schönberg, C.; Turner, T.; Vacelet, J.; van Soest, R.W.M.; Xavier, J. (2025). World Porifera Database. Stelligera montagui Van Soest & Hooper, 2020. Accessed at: https://marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.php?p=taxdetails&id=1424275 on 2025-05-31
original descriptionVan Soest, R.W.M.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Butler, P.J. (2020). Every sponge its own name: removing Porifera homonyms. Zootaxa. 4745(1): 1-93., available online athttps://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4745.1.1 page(s): 51 [details] Available for editors [request]
original description(ofSpongia rigida Montagu, 1814)Montagu, G. (1814 [1818]). An Essay on Sponges, with Descriptions of all the Species that have been discovered on the Coast of Great Britain. Memoirs of the Wernerian Natural History Society. 2(1): 67-122, pls III-XVI., available online athttps://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/45847761 page(s): 87 [details]
basis of record(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Uriz, M.J. (1983). Monografía I. Contribución a la fauna de esponjas (Demospongia) de Cataluña. Anales de la Sección Ciencias del Colegio Universitario de Gerona. 7: 1-220. page(s): 128-137 [details] Available for editors [request]
basis of record(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Morrow, C.; Cárdenas, P.; Boury-Esnault, N.; Picton, B.; McCormack, G.; Van Soest, R.; Collins, A.; Redmond, N.; Maggs, C.; Sigwart, J.; Allcock, L.A. (2019). Integrating morphological and molecular taxonomy with the revised concept of Stelligeridae (Porifera: Demospongiae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 187 (1): 31-81., available online athttps://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlz017 page(s): 44-45 [details] Available for editors [request]
basis of record(ofRaspailia rigida (Montagu, 1814))Topsent, E. (1890). Études de Spongiaires. Revue biologique du Nord de la France. 2: 289-298. page(s): 292-294 [details]
additional source(ofSpongia rigida Montagu, 1814)Van Soest, R.W.M. (2001). Porifera, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 85-103. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source(ofRaspailia rigida (Montagu, 1814))Hanitsch, R. (1890). Third Report on the Porifera of the L.M.B.C.District. Proceedings and Transactions of the Liverpool Biological Society. 4: 192-238, pls X-XV. page(s): 213-214 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Le Mao, P.; Godet, L.; Fournier, J.; Desroy, D.; Gentil, F.; Thiébaud, E.; Poutinet, L.; Cabioch, L: Retière, C.; Chambers, P. (2020). Atlas de la faune marine invertébrée du golfe Normano-Breton Volume 5 - Autres espèces -. Éditions de la Station biologique de Roscoff, ISBN 82951802971. 308 pp. , available online athttp://hal-02490465 page(s): 21 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofVibulinus rigidus (Montagu, 1814))Stephens, J. (1912). A Biological Survey of Clare Island in the County of Mayo, Ireland and the Adjoining District. Marine Porifera. Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 31 (Section 3, Part 59): 1-42. page(s): 19 [details]
additional source(ofVibulinus rigidus (Montagu, 1814))Stephens, J. (1915). Atlantic Sponges collected by the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 50(2): 423-467. page(s): 28 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Solórzano, M.R. (1990). Poríferos del litoral gallego: estudio faunístico, distribución e inventario. Phd Thesis Unversidad de Santiago de Compostela. 1036 pp. page(s): 509-513; Lám. 52 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Girard-Descatoire, A.; Castric-Fey, A.; L'Hardy-Halos, M.T. (1995). Inventaire de la Faune et de la Flore sur les fonds rocheux autour de l'île d'Ouessant. Rapport ADMS, Direction Régionale de l'Environnement Bretagne, Conseil Régional de Bretagne, Conseil Général du Finistère, Fonds Européens, Rennes., 148pp. Convention ZNIEFF 94. page(s): Annexe 1, 9 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Castric-Fey, A. (1996). Richesse et biodiversité en mer mégatidale: communautés sublittorales rocheuses de la région de Trébeurden-Ploumanac'h (Nord Bretagne France). Cahiers de Biologie marine. 37, 7-31. page(s): 23 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofVibulinus rigidus (Montagu, 1814))Topsent, E. (1932). Remarques sur des Eponges de l'estuaire de la Rance. Bulletin du Laboratoire maritime du Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Saint-Servan. 8: 1-7. page(s): 2 & 3 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Hayward, P.J. & J.S. Ryland (Eds.). (1990). The marine fauna of the British Isles and North-West Europe: 1. Introduction and protozoans to arthropods. Clarendon Press: Oxford, UK. 627 pp. (look up in IMIS) [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Van Soest, R.W.M. (2001). Porifera, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001). European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels. 50: 85-103. (look up in IMIS) [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Ackers, R.G.; Moss, D.; Picton, B.E. (1992). Sponges of the British Isles (‘Sponges V'). A Colour Guide and Working Document. Marine Conservation Society. 1-175. page(s): 70-71 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Descatoire, A. (1969). Peuplements sessiles de l'Archipel de Glénan de l'infralittoral rocheux. I. - Inventaire: Spongiaires. Vie et Milieu (B, Océanographie). 20 (1B): 177-209. page(s): 189 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Hiscock, K.; Stone, S.M.K.; George, J.D. (1984). The marine fauna of Lundy. Porifera (sponges): a preliminary study. Report Lundy Field Society. 34: 16-35. page(s): 23-24 [details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Uriz, M.J. (1982). Estudio sistemático de las esponjas del orden Axinellida (Demospongia) de la Costa Brava (Cataluña). Actas II Simposio ibérico de estudios del Bentos Marino. 2 (3): 57-80. page(s): 70-71 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Vacelet, J. (1969). Eponges de la Roche du Large et de l'étage bathyal de Méditerranée (Récoltes de la soucoupe plongeante Cousteau et dragages). Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle. Mémoires du Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (A, Zoologie). 59(2): 145-219, pls I-IV. page(s): 168-169; fig 4 [details] Available for editors [request]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Muller, Y. (2004). Faune et flore du littoral du Nord, du Pas-de-Calais et de la Belgique: inventaire. [Coastal fauna and flora of the Nord, Pas-de-Calais and Belgium: inventory]. Commission Régionale de Biologie Région Nord Pas-de-Calais: France. 307 pp., available online athttp://www.vliz.be/imisdocs/publications/145561.pdf[details]
additional source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Lombas, I. (1982). Distribución, de esponjas esciafilas en la zona intermareal de Aramar (Luanco, Asturias). Boletim de Ciencias Naturales IDEA. 29: 37-50. page(s): 45 [details] Available for editors [request]
new combination reference(ofStelligera stuposa f. rigida (Montagu, 1814))Descatoire, A. (1969). Les peuplements sessiles de l'Archipel de Glénan de l'infralittoral rocheux. II- Notes systématiques à propos de l'inventaire des Spongiaires. Vie et Milieu (A, Biologie marine). 20 (1A): 9-30. page(s): 18-21; fig 4-5 [details] Available for editors [request]
new combination reference(ofVibulinus rigidus (Montagu, 1814))Topsent, E. (1890). Éponges de la Manche. Mémoires de la Société zoologique de France. 3 (1): 195-205. note: under the name Raspailia rigida[details]
biology source(ofStelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814))Morrow, C.; Picton, B.; Erpenbeck, D.; Boury-Esnault, N.; Maggs, C.; Allcock, A. (2012). Congruence between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in Demospongiae: A new hypothesis for relationships within the G4 clade (Porifera: Demospongiae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 62(1): 174-190., available online athttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2011.09.016 page(s): 177 [details] Available for editors [request]
Present Inaccurate Introduced: alien Containing type locality
From editor or global species database
Alboran Sea
Celtic Seas
North Atlantic Ocean
North Sea
Saharan Upwelling
South European Atlantic Shelf
Western Mediterranean
From editor or global species database
Nomenclature We cite here Van Soest et al.'s (2020: 50) explanation for the nomen novum.
Removal of homonymy between Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794) and Stelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814).
1. Spongia rigida Esper, 1794: 247 (type locality unknown, presumably Caribbean). Spongia rigida Esper, 1794 (p. 247, pl. XXVII figs 1–2) was described unrecognizably by Esper, its origin was not known to him, and no type material survived. Nevertheless, Duchassaing & Michelotti (1864: 61, pl. XII fig. 1) recognized Esper’s description and illustration, and redescribed it from freshly collected and dried material as Luffaria rigida from the Virgin Islands, Carribean. Wiedenmayer (1977: 77) described a Bahamas specimen under the mistaken name Verongula ardis (De Laubenfels, 1950a: 31). Klaus Rützler (in litteris) found De Laubenfels’ species to be a junior synonym of Aiolochroia crassa (Hyatt, 1875: 401). Van Soest (1978: 67) subsequently adopted Duchassaing & Michelotti’s (1864) redescription by renaming the species as Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794). The species is a common member of the Caribbean reef community. It is the senior primary homonym (ICZN Art. 57.2) of Montagu’s Spongia rigida.
2. Spongia rigida Montagu, 1814: 87 (type locality Devon, United Kingdom). This well-known species is accepted as Stelligera rigida, and is recently redescribed by Ackers et al. (1992: 70) and reviewed by Morrow et al. (2019: 14). There are small differences with the congeneric but senior Stelligera stuposa (Ellis & Solander, 1786: 186). No obvious synonyms of both have been identified. As a junior primary homonym the present species needed to be renamed (ICZN Art. 60.3).
3. Summary: Verongula rigida (Esper, 1794) as senior primary homonym is to be maintained (ICZN Art. 57.2). Stelligera rigida (Montagu, 1814) is a junior primary homonym without obvious synonyms, which demanded renaming
(ICZN Art. 60.3). To remove the homonymy, Stelligera montagui nom. nov. was proposed, named after George Montagu. [details]
Present 
