Benson 1966 - Nephrospyris renilla

Large, discoidal test with a deep sagittal constriction in its outline at the basal pole, giving the test a reniform shape. Sagittal ring centrally located; three-bladed except for a short, cylindrical median bar; asymmetrical with a straight, vertical apical bar, a straight, ventrally ascending vertical bar, and an angulated superior bar; latticed portion of test surrounds lateral, apical, and basal sides of ring, therefore, median bar internal; longest axis of test the lateral axis, intermediate axis the apical-basal axis, and shortest axis the dorsal-ventral axis. Latticed reniform test originates from paired lateral bars arising at four nodes from the sagittal ring, one corresponding in position to the secondary lateral spines, one each at the upper corners of the ring, and a fourth at the near distal termination of the vertical bar. Median bar with a pair of short, thin, conical or thorn-like primary lateral spines, a short stub of an axial spine, a free, thin, conical dorsal spine; a short, thin, conical vertical spine or thorn extends from and is collinear with the vertical bar; the apical spine represented by a bar which branches distally to form part of the test lattice. Dorsal and ventral surfaces of test with large paired pores on either side of the sagittal ring; remainder of lattice with smaller but relatively large, unequal pores of irregular shapes, separated by thin, smooth intervening bars, circular in section. The lateral bars arising from the sagittal ring do not form horizontal rings but outline the large pores of the test on either side of the sagittal ring. Surface of test smooth but irregular.

Measurements: based on 2 specimens from stations 34 and 56: longest axis (maximum lateral extent) 332-387 m.; maximum height (apical-basa1, not measured in sagittal axis) 225-299 µm; sagittal axis (1 specimen) 198 µm; height of sagittal ring (1 specimen) 86 µm; length of vertical spine 6 mm, of dorsal spine 6 µm, of primary lateral spines 11-16 µm.

Remarks: The Gulf specimens differ from Haeckel's illustration of N. renilla only in the presence of larger pores of the lattice. Haeckel (1887, Pl. 90, fig. 10) illustrates a specimen, presumably of this species, with the skeleton reduced to the sagittal ring only but with a kidney-shaped calymma. Although the ring may be present in the Gulf sediments it is not identifiable as this species.

Distribution: This species is very rare in the Gulf. Only four specimens were observed, one each at stations 34, 46, 56, and 60. It is, therefore, an oceanic species. Haeckel reported this species from the central Pacific at Challenger station 274. No other record of its occurrence was found in the literature. \ From: Benson, 1966, p. 302-304; pl. 21, fig. 5:Nephrodictyum renilla (Haeckel)Nephrospyris renilla Haeckel, 1887, Challenger Rept., Zool., vol. 18, p.1101, Pl. 90, figs. 9, 10.

Goll 1980 - Nephrospyris renilla

This subspecies is similar in every respect to N. renilla renilla, except for the fine lattice plates, which are composed of delicate bars one third to one fifth the size of the other lattice bars. These lattice plates cover the pair of large sagittal lattice pores on the front and back of the skeleton. On some specimens, these lattice plates also cover adjacent large lattice pores. Lattice plate development ranges from loose trellises to dense meshes. On old specimens, the lattice plates are joined directly to the external rigde on the front of the sagittal ring and at a point above the vertical spine on the back of the sagittal ring. A single short connector bar projecting from the midpoint of the front of the sagittal ring is joined to the middle of the lattice plate of these specimens, and the back lattice plate is free of the sagittal ring. This subspecies has a pronounced size range. The maximum width of the lattice shell varies from 290-580mm, based on measurements of 35 specimens from various Leg 54 samples.

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