Subfamily Phyllospongiinae Keller, 1889

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Introduction

Characteristics
Phyllospongiinae differs from Thorectinae in comprising foliose, lamellate or folio-digitate growth forms, with tertiary fibres in the skeleton (except in one genus).

Database Notes

Synonymy. Phyllospongiinae Bergquist, Sorokin & Karuso, 1999: 57

Diagnosis

Foliose or folio-digitate sponges in which the spongin fibres making up the anastomosing skeleton are finely laminated and contain a differentiated pith. Zones of disjunction between successive fibrous layers remain tightly adherent, producing an overall homogeneous structure with visible contiguous laminae. The pith is not sharply disjunct from the investing spongin fibre but rather merges into it. Secondary fibres show a surface striation. The skeleton is made up of cored primary and uncored secondary fibres to which uncored vermiform or reticulate tertiary elements are added in most genera. Choanocyte chambers are large, spherical and diplodal. The matrix is only very lightly infiltrated with collagen and appears fibrous macroscopically rather than fleshy. Cyanobacteria are always incorporated. Phyllospongiinae are also characterised by a secondary metabolite compliment which includes a series of unique bishomoscalaranes (Bergquist, Sorokin & Karuso 1999).

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA

1a. Tertiary fibres form lattice-like complexes to fascicules in lamella; surface membranous .......Polyfibrospongia
1b. Tertiary fibres do not form lattice-like complexes or fascicules; surface not membranous ......2
2a. Tertiary fibres vermiform or reticulate, rare in upper lamellae ..................................................Phyllospongia
2b. Tertiary fibres dominate in lamella, reticulate with rare cross connections ..............................Strepsichordaia

Diagnosis References

Cook, S.D.C. & Bergquist, P.R. 2002. Family Thorectidae Bergquist, 1978. pp. 1028-1050 in Hooper, J.N.A. & van Soest, R.W.M. (eds). Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Vol. 1. [1044]

Wahab, M.A.A., Wilson, N.G., Prada, D., Gomez, O. & Fromont, J. 2020. Molecular and morphological assessment of tropical sponges in the subfamily Phyllospongiinae, with the descriptions of two new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 1–37

General References

Cook, S.D.C. & Bergquist, P.R. 2002. Family Thorectidae Bergquist, 1978. pp. 1028-1050 in Hooper, J.N.A. & van Soest, R.W.M. (eds). Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Vol. 1.

Wahab, M.A.A., Wilson, N.G., Prada, D., Gomez, O. & Fromont, J. 2020. Molecular and morphological assessment of tropical sponges in the subfamily Phyllospongiinae, with the descriptions of two new species. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 1–37

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