Family ANCORINIDAE Schmidt, 1870

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Diagnosis

Encrusting, irregularly massive or clearly spherical sponges, in some cases with long inhalant and/or exhalant tubes. The megascleres are triaenes with long rhabdome and oxeas. Microscleres are euasters (oxyasters, spherasters, chiasters, tylasters), streptasters (sanidasters, amphiasters), and spiny or smooth microrhabds.

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA
(1) Only euasters (and occasional trichodragmata) as microscleres ------------------------------------------------------- 2
With other microscleres apart from trichodragmata (with or without euasters) ----------------------------------------- 3

(2) With an ectosomal layer of paratangential oxeas (triaenes absent) ------------------------------------------ Jaspis
Without an ectosomal layer of paratangential oxeas ------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4

(3) Euasters and streptasters or microrhabds -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Only sanidaster-like microrhabds and (sometimes) trichodragmata ------------------------------------------------------ 15

(4) Oxyasters, chiasters or tylasters (these two last types may have a marked centrum (small spherochiasters or spherotylasters) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6
Large oxyspherasters or sterrospherasters among the euasters (triaenes may be rare or absent) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rhabdastrella

(5) Euasters and streptasters (sanidasters or amp.hiasters) -------------------------------------------------------------- 8
Euasters and microrhabds -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9

(6) With a tubular aquiferous structure with several ducts ---------------------------------------------------- Tethyopsis
Without tubular structures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

(7) Minute (less than 5 mm long) ovoid sponge with the exhalant (sieve) and inhalant areas at the opposite sides ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cryptosyringa
Normal size, massive sponge, without polarisation of the inhalant and exhalant areas -------------------- Stelletta

(8) Without triaenes ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asteropus
With triaenes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

(9) Smooth microrhabds ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Penares
Spiny microrhabds ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10

(10) Without triaenes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Melophlus
With triaenes ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11

(11) Thick cortex ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Psammastra
Cortex thin or indistinguishable ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ecionemia

(12) With short-shafted triaenes --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Stryphnus
With long-shafted triaenes ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13

(13) With tubular structures ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Disyringa
Without tubular structures ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Ancorina

(14) With triaenes; only sanidasters as microscleres; simple tube ---------------------------------------- Tribrachium
Without triaenes, sanidaster-like microrhabds; without tubes -------------------------------------------------- Holoxea

Diagnosis References

Uriz, M. J. 2002. Family Ancorinidae, 1870. pp. 108-126 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. [108]

General References

Uriz, M. J. 2002. Family Ancorinidae, 1870. pp. 108-126 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.

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