Family AULOCYSTIDAE Sollas, 1887

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Introduction

Aulocystidae Sollas, 1887 have ovoid and bulbous stalked growth forms, with branching and rejoining aquiferous tubes and interconnected canals. The external surface has a secondarily produced layer consisting of a feltwork of fine rays from the superficial stauractines (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 202) and pentactines (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 198). Dermal and gastral pentactines are present. Microscleres include oxy-, disco- and graphiohexasters (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 209, 210, 214).

A single genus, Neoaulocystis, occurs in Indonesian and Australian waters, off St Vincent in the West Indies, and in the Red Sea, at depths ranging from 80 to 665 m.

Reviews are available in Schulze (1887, 1904), and Hartman (1982) and Aulocystis is discussed briefly by Reiswig (1991). Ijima (1927) provides a family definition and synopsis of species.

Diagnosis

Body form calicular, massive, or unknown; dermalia and atrialia pentactins with straight or sinuous tangential rays; prostalia as dermalia with immensely elongated proximal ray; choanosomal hexactins may occur; microscleres always include regular spherical discohexasters, with or without large onychexasters or graphiocomes; an external siliceous cover may be deposited first as a flexible, dense mat of loose spicules which may then be thoroughly silicified to a 1mm-thick rigid crust; uncinates and sceptrules are absent.

ID Keys

KEY TO RECENT GENERA
(1) Frame of pillars and plates; with long-spined onychexasters -------------------------------------------- Lychnocystis
Frame of thin-wall tubules; without long-spined onychexasters -------------------------------------------- Neoaulocystis

Diagnosis References

Reiswig, H. 2002. Family Aulocystidae Sollas, 1887. pp. 1378-1382 in Hooper, J.N.A. & Soest, R.W.M. Van (eds). Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Vol. 2. [1378]

General References

Hartman, W.D. 1982. Porifera. pp. 640-666 in Parker, S.P. (ed.). Synopsis and Classification of Living Organisms. New York : McGraw-Hill Vol. 1.

Ijima, I. 1927. The Hexactinellida of the Siboga Expedition. 1-383 26 pls in Weber, M.W.C. (ed.). Siboga-Expeditie, livr. 106, monogr. 6. Leiden : J.E. Brill.

Reiswig, H.M. 1991. New perspectives on the Hexactinellid genus Dactylocalyx Stutchbury. pp. 7-20 in Reitner, J. & Keupp, H. (eds). Fossil and Recent Sponges. Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer-Verlag xviii 595 pp.

Schulze, F.E. 1887. Report on the Hexactinellida collected by H.M.S. Challenger during the years 1873–1876. Report on the Scientific Results of the Voyage of H.M.S. Challenger 1873–1876, Zoology 21(53): 1-514 pls 1-104 1 map

Schulze, F.E. 1904. Hexactinellida. In Chun, C. (ed.) Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse der Deutschen Tiefsee-Expedition auf dem Dampfer 'Valdivia' 1898–1899. Vol. 4 266 pp. (text) pls 1–52 (atlas).

Sollas, W.J. 1886. Preliminary account of the tetractinellid sponges dredged by H.M.S. Challenger, 1872–1876. Part 1. The Choristida. Scientific Proceedings of the Royal Dublin Society ns 5: 177-199

SOLLAS, W.J. 1887. Sponges. Pp. 412–429. In: Black, A. & C. (Eds). Edinburgh : Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol. 22 9th edition, pp. 412–429.

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