• Axinella Schmidt, E.O. 1862. Die Spongien des Adriatischen Meeres. Leipzig : Engelmann 88 pp. 7 pls. [60].

  Type species:

   Axinella polypoides Schmidt, 1862 by subsequent designation, see Laubenfels, M.W. de 1936. A discussion of the sponge fauna of the Dry Tortugas in particular, and the West Indies in general, with material for a revision of the families and orders of the Porifera. (Tortugas Lab. Paper No. 467). Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington 30: 1-225 22 pls 1 map [130].
• Chalinissa Lendenfeld, R. von 1887. Die Chalineen des australischen Gebietes. Zoologische Jahrbücher Syst. 2: 723-828 pls 18-26, 28 [771].

  Type species:

   Isodictya dissimilis Bowerbank, 1866 by subsequent designation, see Burton, M. 1927. A revision of the genera and species contained in Lendenfeld's 'Die Chalineen des australischen Gebietes'. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 9 20: 289–296, 502–512 [502].
• Axinosia Hallmann, E.F. 1914. A revision of the monaxonid species described as new in Lendenfeld's 'Catalogue of the sponges in the Australian Museum'. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 39(Part 2): 327–376 12 figs [349].

  Type species:

   Axinella symbiotica Whitelegge, 1907 by original designation.
• Pseudaxinella Schmidt, E.O. 1875. Spongien. Jahresbericht der Commission zur Wissenchaftlichen Untersuchung der Deutschen Meere in Kiel 2: 115-120 pl. 1 [120].

  Type species:

   Pseudaxinella sulcata Schmidt, 1875 by monotypy.
• Teichaxinella Laubenfels, M.W. de 1936. A discussion of the sponge fauna of the Dry Tortugas in particular, and the West Indies in general, with material for a revision of the families and orders of the Porifera. (Tortugas Lab. Paper No. 467). Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington 30: 1-225 22 pls 1 map [128] [for revised diagnosis, see Wiedenmayer, F. 1977. Shallow-water Sponges of the Western Bahamas. Basel : Birkhäuser (Experientia Suppl. 28) 287 pp. 43 pls. (154)].

  Type species:

   Teichaxinella shoemakeri de Laubenfels, 1936 by original designation.
• Phakettia Laubenfels, M.W. de 1936. A discussion of the sponge fauna of the Dry Tortugas in particular, and the West Indies in general, with material for a revision of the families and orders of the Porifera. (Tortugas Lab. Paper No. 467). Publication of the Carnegie Institution of Washington Washington 30: 1-225 22 pls 1 map [130].

  Type species:

   Phakellia cactoides Burton, 1928 by original designation.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Burton, M. 1927. A revision of the genera and species contained in Lendenfeld's 'Die Chalineen des australischen Gebietes'. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 9 20: 289–296, 502–512 [502]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Circumtropical, temperate and amphiboreal.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Timor Province (2), Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Diagnosis

Ramose, bushy or lamellate habit. Surface generally smooth with choanosomal spicules projecting slightly; oscules, when visible, with stellate morphology (i.e., superficial canals leading to opening ‘imprinted’ in superficial skeleton); ectosome without specialised skeleton. Choanosomal skeleton differentiated in axial and extra-axial regions; axial skeleton compressed or vaguely reticulated; extra-axial skeleton plumose or plumoreticulate. Megascleres styles, or styles and oxeas, or oxeas; when both present, one type may be rare; modifications of megascleres common in several species. Microscleres, if present, microraphides and raphides, mostly in tightly packed trichodragmata.

ID Keys

See Family Axinellidae Diagnosis

Diagnosis References

Alvarez De Glasby, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Family Axinellidae Carter, 1875. pp. 724-747 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. [728]

History of changes

• Phakellia aruensis Hentschel, E. 1912. Kiesel- und Hornschwämme der Aru- und Kai Inseln. Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 34: 294-448 pls 13-21 [420].

  Type data:

   Holotype SMF 953 wet (egaz), E side of Aru Ils (Indonesia) [2°52'22"N 30°50'24"E].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hooper, J.N.A. & Wiedenmayer, F. 1994. Porifera. pp. 1–620 in Wells, A. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia Vol. 12 xiii 624 pp. [Date published 21/Nov/1994] [72]
• Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from northern Australia. Family Axinellidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 25: 17-42 [19]

Distribution

IMCRA

Timor Province (2), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

General References

Alvarez, B., Crisp, M.D., Driver, F., Hooper, J.N.A. & van Soest, R.W.M. 2000. Phylogenetic relationships of the family Axinellidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) using morphological and molecular data. Zoologica Scripta 29(2): 169-198 [169]

Alvarez, B., Krishan, M. & Gibb, K. 2007. Analysis of intragenomic variation of the rDNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS) in Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae). Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 87: 1599-1605 [as Phakellia sp.] [1599]

Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from northern Australia. Family Axinellidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 25: 17-42 [19]

Fromont, J. 1999. Demosponges of the Houtman Abrolhos. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 44: 175-184 [177] (Listed in this article)

Gillan, F.T., Stoilov, I.L., Thompson, J.E., Hogg, R.W., Wilkinson, C.R. & Djerassi, C. 1988. Fatty acids as biological markers for bacterial symbionts in sponges. Lipids 23(12): 1139-1145 [1140] (misidentification)

Holmes, B. & Blanch, H. 2007. Genus-specific associations of marine sponges with group I crenarchaeotes. Marine Biology 150: 759-772

Hooper, J.N.A., Capon, R.J., Keenan, C.P., Parry, D.L. & Smit, N. 1992. Chemotaxonomy of marine sponges: families Microcionidae, Raspailiidae and Axinellidae, and their relationships with other families in the orders Poecilosclerida and Axinellida (Porifera: Demospongiae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 6(2): 261-301 [264]

Hooper, J.N.A. & Wiedenmayer, F. 1994. Porifera. pp. 1–620 in Wells, A. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia Vol. 12 xiii 624 pp. [Date published 21/Nov/1994] [72]

Wilkinson, C.R. 1984. Sponges. pp. 156-163 in Talbot, F. (ed.). Reader's Digest Book of the Great Barrier Reef. Sydney : Reader's Digest, Mead & Beckett. [159] (misidentification)

Wilkinson, C.R., Summons, R. & Evans, E. 1999. Nitrogen fixation in symbiotic marine sponges: ecological significance and difficulties in detection. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 44: 667-674 [669] (Listed in this article)

History of changes

• Axinella clathrata Dendy, A. 1897. Catalogue of non-calcareous sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M.A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part 3. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 9: 230-259 [233].

  Type data:

   Holotype NMV G2330 wet (=BMNH 1902.10.18.380 slide), south coast (possibly).

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Bass Strait Shelf Province (35)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 45–56 m.

History of changes

• Phakellia crassa Carter, H.J. 1885. Description of sponges from the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 16: 347-368 [363].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1886.12.15.129 wet (NMV photo 35/7,8, =AM G2787 slide - egaz), 36 m, Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E].

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Port Phillip Heads.

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth distribution unknown.

History of changes

• Stylotella irregularis Kirkpatrick, R. 1900. IV. On the sponges of Christmas Island. In Andrews, C.W., Smith, E.A., Bernard, H.M., Kirkpatrick, R. & Chapman, F.C.: On the marine fauna of Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1900: 127-141 pls 12-13 [137].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1898.12.20.43 wet (egaz - Christmas Is.), reefs off Flying Fish Cove, Christmas Il. [39°42'S 143°50'E].

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Christmas Is., Flying Fish Cove.

IMCRA

Christmas Island Province (23)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 73–229 m (reef environment).

History of changes

• Axinella kirki Dendy, A. 1897. Catalogue of non-calcareous sponges collected by J. Bracebridge Wilson, Esq., M.A., in the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads. Part 3. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 9: 230-259 [235].

  Type data:

   Lectotype NMV G2370 (egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E].
  Paralectotype(s) NMV.

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Bass Strait Shelf Province (35)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 16–38 m.

History of changes

• Axinella loribellae Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from northern Australia. Family Axinellidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 25: 17-42 [22-23].

  Type data:

   Holotype NTM Z.4427, Stevens Rock, Weed Reef, Darwin, NT, 19 m depth [12°29.2001´S, 130°47.1´E].
  Paratype(s) NTM Z.5834, Stevens Rock, Weed Reef, Darwin Harbour, NT, 17 m depth [12°29.1667´S, 130°47.19´E].

Distribution

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Axinella meloniformis Carter, H.J. 1885. Description of sponges from the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 16: 347-368 [362].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1886.12.15.117 (egaz), Port Phillip, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E].

Distribution

States

Victoria

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

History of changes

• Phakellia multiformis Whitelegge, T. 1907. Sponges. Part I (Addenda). Part 2. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4: 487-515 pls 45-46 [508].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) AM G4358 dry (NMV photos 5/17,18 - egaz- Coogee), Station 48, 91 m, off Coogee, NSW; 91–121 m, off Jibbon, NSW; 104–115 m, off Birlago, NSW; 100 m, off Wollongong, NSW [31°32'S 142°10'E]; BMNH 1936.7.4.2a slide 2/84 (egaz- NSW), Station 48, 91 m, off Coogee, NSW; 91–121 m, off Jibbon, NSW; 104–115 m, off Birlago, NSW; 100 m, off Wollongong, NSW [33°00'S 146°00'E]; BMNH 1936.7.4.2 dry fragment of type ex AM G4358 (egaz- NSW), Station 48, 91 m, off Coogee, NSW; 91–121 m, off Jibbon, NSW; 104–115 m, off Birlago, NSW; 100 m, off Wollongong, NSW [33°00'S 146°00'E].

Distribution

States

New South Wales

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 90–119 m.

History of changes

• Axinella pilifera Carter, H.J. 1885. Description of sponges from the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 16: 347-368 [362] [virtually unrecognisable].

  Type data:

   Status unknown, (egaz), Port Phillip, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E].

Distribution

States

Victoria

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

General References

Hooper, J.N.A. & Lévi, C. 1993. Axinellida from the New Caledonian lagoon (Porifera: Demospongiae). Invertebrate Taxonomy 7(6): 1395-1472 (question generic placement and suggest species is unrecognisable)

History of changes

• Chalinopora retepora Lendenfeld, R. von 1887. Die Chalineen des australischen Gebietes. Zoologische Jahrbücher Syst. 2: 723-828 pls 18-26, 28 [767].

  Type data:

   Lectotype BMNH 1886.8.2.7.417 wet, –417a, slide 3/26 (=AM G3412 slide - egaz), Torres Strait, QLD (stated as Port Phillip Bay, VIC) [10°25'S 142°10'E].
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH 1886.8.27.414 dry (=AM G3411 slide).

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Torres Strait.

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Ecological Descriptors

Benthic, filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

History of changes

• Axinella sinoxea Alvarez, B. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2009. Taxonomic revision of the order Halichondrida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from northern Australia. Family Axinellidae. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 25: 17-42 [24-25].

  Type data:

   Holotype NTM Z.940, East Point, Darwin Harbour, NT, 12 m depth [12°24.05'S,130°48.01'E].
  Paratype(s) NTM Z.5833, East Point, Darwin Harbour, NT, 11 m depth [12°24.484'S, 130°48.471'E].

Distribution

IMCRA

Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Ecological Descriptors

Marine.

History of changes

• Axinella symbiotica Whitelegge, T. 1907. Sponges. Part I (Addenda). Part 2. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4: 487-515 pls 45-46 [508].

  Type data:

   Lectotype AM G4350 dry, figured (NMV photos 8/4,5 - egaz), 66–71 m, off Port Jackson, NSW [33°51'S 151°15'E].
  Paralectotype(s) BMNH 1936.7.4.12 1 slide 2/8.

Distribution

States

New South Wales

IMCRA

Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 65–70 m.

History of changes

• Axinella lamellata Bergquist, P.R. 1961. Demospongiae (Porifera) of the Chatham Islands and Chatham Rise, collected by the Chatham Islands 1954 Expedition. Bulletin of the New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research 139: 169-206 20 figs [188] [invalid name; preoccupied following placement of Spongsorites lamellata Dendy 1905 in Axinella, see Burton 1959.].

  Type data:

   Holotype CMNZ 3/63, Petre Bay, Chatham Island, New Zealand.
• Axinella tricalyciformis 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 [15] [replacement name; nom. nov. for Axinella lamellata Bergquist, 1961].

  Type data:

   Holotype CMNZ 3/63, Petre Bay, Chatham Island, New Zealand.

Distribution

States

Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Stockyard Point, and also New Zealand.

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 6–90 m.

General References

Burton, M. 1959. Sponges. Scientific Reports of the John Murray Expedition 10(5): 151-281 41 figs

Carpay, M. 1986. The marine sponges of Tasmania. A checklist of a number of marine sponges, occurring along the Tasmanian coast. Unpublished M.Sc. thesis, Department of Bijzondere Dierkunde, Institute of Taxonomic Zoology, Amsterdam. pp. 1–77. [18]

Dendy, A. 1905. Report on the sponges collected by Professor Herdman, at Ceylon, in 1902. 57-246 pls 1-16 in Herdman, W.A. (ed.). Report to the Government of Ceylon on the Pearl Oyster Fisheries of the Gulf of Manaar. London : Royal Society Vol. 3 Suppl. 18.

History of changes

• Axinella vermiculata Whitelegge, T. 1907. Sponges. Part I (Addenda). Part 2. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4: 487-515 pls 45-46 [510].

  Type data:

   Holotype AM G4360 dry, figured (NMV photos 9/15,16), 42 m, off Crookhaven River, NSW [34°55'S 150°45'E].

Distribution

States

New South Wales

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 41 m.

History of changes

• Axinella villosa Carter, H.J. 1885. Description of sponges from the neighbourhood of Port Phillip Heads, South Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 16: 347-368 [361] [type series composite].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) BMNH 1886.12.15.395 dry (NMV photo 48/20) –395a slide 2/86, Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E]; BMNH 1886.12.75.397 dry (NMV photo 48/21) –397a slide 2/86 (egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E]; BMNH 1886.12.15.398 dry –398a 2 slides 2/86 (egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E]; BMNH 1886.12.15.399 dry (NMV photo 48/22) –399a slide 2/86 (egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E]; BMNH 1886.12.15.472 dry (NMV photos 48/17,18 - egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E]; BMNH 1886.12.15.400 dry (as var. flabellif - egaz), Port Phillip Heads, VIC [38°07'S 144°48'E].

Distribution

States

Victoria

Extra Distribution Information

Known only from type locality.

IMCRA

Bass Strait Shelf Province (35)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 45–56 m.

History of changes