Genus Acanthella Schmidt, 1862
- Acanthella Schmidt, E.O. 1862. Die Spongien des Adriatischen Meeres. Leipzig : Engelmann 88 pp. 7 pls. [64].
Type species:
Acanthella acuta Schmidt, 1862 by subsequent designation, see Vosmaer, G.C.J. 1912. On the distinction between the genera Axinella, Phakellia, Acanthella a. o. Festschrift Spengel. Zoologische Jahrbücher 15: 307-322 pls 15-16 [312].
Distribution
States
Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria
Extra Distribution Information
Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Indo-Malayan region and W Pacific Ocean.
IMCRA
Timor Transition (1), Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Other Regions
Territory of Ashmore & Cartier Islands, Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater
Distribution References
- Bergquist, P.R. 1970. The marine fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 2 (Axinellida and Halichondrida). (Mem. N.Z. Oceanogr. Inst. 51). Bulletin of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 197: 1-85 20 pls 3 figs [18]
- Burton, M. 1934. Sponges. Scientific Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-1929 4: 513-621 pls 1-2 [565]
- Vosmaer, G.C.J. 1932. [1932–1935]. The sponges of the Bay of Naples. Porifera Incalcaria. In Vosmaer-Röell, C.S. & Burton, M. (eds) Vol. 1 (1932–3), issued in 5 parts. Capita Zoologica 3: 1–456 pls 1–35. Vol. 2 (1933–5), issued in 5 parts. Capita Zoologica 5: 457–857 pls 36–71 (pls 43, 55 omitted). Also published separately in 3 vols (2 vols text, 875 pp., and atlas, 69 pls). The Hague : Martinus Nijhoff 1933–35. [763]
Diagnosis
Erect, bushy, ramose, lamellate or lobate habit. Surface generally coarsely conulose with protruding choanosomal spicules. Ectosome membranous, glistening in appearance, without specialised skeleton. Consistency cartilaginous-like when alive. Choanosomal skeleton with thick tracts or axes of interwoven strongyles or strongyloxeas, sometimes condensed in the axial region, dendritically branching toward the periphery and ending in conules at surface; reduced to single spicules in some thinly branching forms. Megascleres doubly flexed and sinuously curved strongyles, sometimes strongyloxeas, always coring main spicules tracts; straight styles, oxeas or anisoxeas in any combination, echinating main tracts; microscleres absent. Distribution. According to Van Soest (1994) the genus has a widespread distribution. A total of 22 species of Acanthella are recorded in the literature from the following areas: Central-West Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Indian Ocean, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Japan (Alvarez 1998).
ID Keys
See Family Dictyonellidae Diagnosis.
Diagnosis References
van Soest, R.W.M., Erpenbeck, D. & Alvarez De Glasby, B. 2002. Family Dictyonellidae Van Soest, Diaz & Pomponi, 1990. pp. 773-786 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. [774]
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-Mar-2018 | 15-Dec-2011 | MOVED | ||
| 29-Mar-2018 | 13-Apr-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |