Family APLYSINIDAE Carter, 1875

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Introduction

The Aplysinidae Carater, 1875, are verongids with an anastomosing skeleton of polygonal meshes which have no tendency to be organised in one plane. The fibres have normal bark and pith elements, contain no foreign detritus and are of moderately even dimensions throughout the sponge. The choanocyte chambers are diplodal, small, and spherical, and are set in a dense collagenous matrix. All species display a marked oxidative colour change at death or on exposure to air, quickly changing from the normal yellow or yellow-green through blue to dark brown or purple. Pigmentation, other than superficial casts attributable to cyanobacteria, is uniform throughout the sponge. Secondary metabolites include a range of brominated tyrosine derivatives with strong antimicrobial activity, similar and often identical structures occur in the Aplysinellidae, Druinellidae and Ianthellidae, they thus characterise the order Verongida. A range of aplystane sterols also characterise the Aplysinidae, and Druinellidae. The sponges are oviparous, and, while extrusion of gametes has been observed, no larvae have been described.

The Aplysinidae is a cohesive group, like other verongiid families it is sharply distinct from other fibrous Porifera. The characteristics of the skeleton, defined precisely, are distinctive and knowledge of ultrastructural histology, biochemistry and reproductive pattern when considered together testify to the long independent evolution of this group of taxa.

Two established genera are included, Aplysina and Verongula, with Aiolochroia also included as incertae sedis within Verongida and suspected affinities to this family. Distribution is Caribbean and Mediterranean predominantly. Records from Red Sea, Indian Ocean, West Central Pacific, Australia and West coast of North America all need to be verified as it is likely that the species in question belong either to the Pseudoceratinidae or Aplysinellidae (Bergquist & Cook 2002).

Diagnosis

Verongida with an anastomosing skeleton of polygonal meshes which have no tendency to be organised in one plane. The fibres have normal bark and pith elements, contain no foreign detritus and are of moderately even dimensions throughout the sponge. The choanocyte chambers are diplodal, small, and spherical, and are set in a dense collagenous matrix. All species display a marked oxidative colour change at death or on exposure to air,
quickly changing from the normal yellow or yellow-green through blue to dark brown or purple. Pigmentation, other than superficial casts attributable to cyanobacteria, is uniform throughout the sponge. Secondary metabolites include a range of brominated tyrosine derivatives with strong antimicrobial activity, similar and often identical structures occur in the Aplysinellidae, Druinellidae and Ianthellidae, they thus characterise the order Verongida. A
range of aplystane sterols also characterise the Aplysinidae, and Druinellidae. The sponges are oviparous, and, while extrusion of gametes has been observed, no larvae have been described.

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA
(1) Sponge surface smooth, even, finely conulose ------------------------------------------------------------------- Aplysina
Sponge surface thrown into low folds producing a honeycomb-like appearance ------------------------------- Verongula
Surface with rounded tubercles surrounding depressions to give an overall polygonal appearance -------Aiolochroia

Diagnosis References

Bergquist, P.R. & Cook, S.D.C. 2002. Family Aplysinidae Carter, 1875. pp. 1082-1085 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. [1082]

General References

Bergquist, P.R. & Cook, S.D.C. 2002. Family Aplysinidae Carter, 1875. pp. 1082-1085 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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