• Axos Gray, J.E. 1867. Notes on the arrangement of sponges, with the description of some new genera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1867: 492-558 pls 27-28 [546].

  Type species:

   Axos cliftoni Gray, 1867 by monotypy.
• Echinospongia Gray, J.E. 1870. Note on a new genus of sponge from West Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4 6: 272 [272].

  Type species:

   Echinospongia australis Gray, 1870 by monotypy.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1 [171]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Diagnosis

Cylindrical branching and flabelliform growth forms with prominent surface conules; well developed compressed axial skeleton composed of styles; extra-axial skeleton composed of radial spicule tracts of the same styles perpendicular to the axis and protruding into surface conules; asters hexaradiate to cruciform with thick heavily spined rays (anthasters), confined mainly to the peripheral region forming a thick crust.

ID Keys

See Family Hemiasterellidae Diagnosis.

Diagnosis References

Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Family Hemiasterellidae Lendenfeld, 1889. pp. 186-195 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. [187]

History of changes

• Axos cliftoni Gray, J.E. 1867. Notes on the arrangement of sponges, with the description of some new genera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1867: 492-558 pls 27-28 [546].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1870.8.26.31 dry, Nickol Bay, Dampier Archipelago, WA [20°30´S 117°E].
  Paratype(s) BMNH 1954.3.9.519–523 slides (of holotype).

  Secondary source:

   Burton, M. 1934. Sponges. Scientific Reports of the Great Barrier Reef Expedition 1928-1929 4: 513-621 pls 1-2 [549]; Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1 [173].
• Echinospongia australis Gray, J.E. 1870. Note on a new genus of sponge from West Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4 6: 272 [272].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH unregistered dry (shelf D.A.39, NMV photos 41/7–9), Nickol Bay, NW Australia, WA [20°39'S 116°52'E].

  Secondary source:

   Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1 [173].
• Dictyocylindrus dentatus Bowerbank, J.S. 1873. Contributions to a general history of the Spongiadae. Part V. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1873: 319-333 pls 28-31 [321].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH unregistered dry (shelf D.A.39, NMV photos 41/7–9), Nickol Bay, Dampier Archipelago, WA [20°39'S 116°52'E].

  Secondary source:

   Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1 [173].

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1 [173]

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

Extra Distribution Information

Dampier Archipelago.

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 35–80 m.

General References

Fromont, J. 2003. Porifera (Sponges) in the Dampier Archipelago: Taxonomic affinities and biogeography. Proceedings of the Twelfth International Marine Biological Workshop. The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier, Western Australia. 405-417 pp. [409] (Listed in this article)

History of changes

• Axos flabelliformis Carter, H.J. 1879. Contributions to our knowledge of the Spongida. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 3: 284-304, 343-360 pls 25-29 [285].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1883.1.25.8 dry (NMV photos 41/11), unknown, 'Australia'.

  Secondary source:

   Hooper, J.N.A. 1986. Revision of the marine sponge genus Axos Gray (Demospongiae: Axinellida) from Northwest Australia. The Beagle. Occasional Papers of the Northern Territory Museum of Arts and Sciences 3(1): 167-189 pl. 1.

Distribution

States

Northern Territory, Western Australia

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 3–84 m.

General References

Fromont, J. 2003. Porifera (Sponges) in the Dampier Archipelago: Taxonomic affinities and biogeography. Proceedings of the Twelfth International Marine Biological Workshop. The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier, Western Australia. 405-417 pp. [408] (Listed in this article)

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 [265]

History of changes