Family CALLYSPONGIIDAE De Laubenfels, 1936

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Introduction

Callyspongiidae de Laubenfels, 1936 is a family with encrusting, massive, vase-shaped, tubular, fan-shaped and branching growth forms. The sponge surface is characteristically sculptured with conules or ridges, and usually has an optically visible lace-like reticulation of spicules and/or fibres lying tangential to the surface. The ectosomal skeleton is a two dimensional tangential reticulation of close-set primary, secondary and sometimes tertiary spongin fibres, sparsely cored with small or vestigial oxeas or strongyles (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 5, 6). The choanosomal skeleton is more widely spaced, composed of a reticulation of primary ascending (bi- or multispicular) and secondary connecting spongin fibres (uni- or aspicular), composed of well-developed fibres, cored by oxeas or strongyles. Spongin is characteristically abundant. Megascleres are sometimes vestigial, with blackened axial canals, absent entirely or replaced by sand grains. Microscleres, if present, include only toxas (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 89).

There are over 20 nominal genera referable to the Callyspongiidae, particularly names created by Lendenfeld, but only four of these may be valid, three of which have published Australian records. The status of Dactylochalina Lendenfeld is uncertain: the type species cannot be recognised. Members of the family are widely distributed in shallow tropical waters, from intertidal mangrove habitats down to only about 50 m depth (Hartman 1982).

The family is reviewed in Bergquist (1978), Bergquist & Warne (1980) and Hartman (1982) and defined, discussed and illustrated in Van Soest (1980).

Diagnosis

Encrusting, massive, vase-shaped, tubular, fan-shaped and branching growth forms; surface characteristically sculptured with conules or ridges, and usually has an optically visible lace-like reticulation of spicules and/or fibres lying tangential to the surface; ectosomal skeleton a two dimensional tangential reticulation of close-set primary, secondary and sometimes tertiary spongin fibres, sparsely cored with small or vestigial oxeas or strongyles; choanosomal skeleton more widely spaced, composed of a reticulation of primary ascending (bi- or multispicular) and secondary connecting spongin fibres (uni- or aspicular), composed of well developed fibres, cored by oxeas or strongyles; spongin characteristically abundant; megascleres sometimes vestigial, with blackened axial canals, absent entirely or replaced by sand grains; microscleres, if present, include only toxas.

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA AND SUBGENERA
(1) One size of ectosomal mesh, confused with abundant foreign material, or regular, rounded, triangular to polygonal, without foreign material --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Three sizes of regular ectosomal mesh ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7

(2) One size of confused ectosomal mesh, with abundant foreign material ----------------------------------------------- 3
One size, rounded or triangular to polygonal ectosomal mesh, without foreign material -------------------------------- 4

(3) Tangential ectosomal mesh with no proper fibres, only fragments of foreign debris and spicules. Choanosomal irregular, fragmentary fibres with foreign material proper spicules or both ------------------------------- Arenosclera
Tangential ectosomal network with proper fine aspicular fibres and foreign material. Choanosomal, continuous, aspicular fibres, with only foreign material -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dactylia

(4) Ectosomal strong echinated layer with continuous, strong palisade of brushes of spicules, or free spicules,without peripheral condensation -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Ectosomal non-echinated layer, peripheral condensation present ---------------------------------------------------------- 6

(5) Ectosomal mesh echinated by strong palisade of spicular brushes. Choanosomal multispicular primary fibres well cored, narrow spongin sheath. One single surface layer ---------------------------------- Callyspongia (Cavochalina)
Ectosomal mesh echinated by free spicules. Choanosomal paucispicular primary fibres, with large spongin sheath. Three surface layers ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Callyspongia (Euplacella)

(6) Ectosomal mesh small, triangular to rectangular, unispicular fibres or single spicules. Choanosomal primary longitudinal fibres paucispicular, subectosomal ends abundantly ramified, horizontally orientated and divided by connecting fibres ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Siphonochalina
Ectosomal mesh large, rounded to polygonal, unispicular fibres. Choanosomal primary longitudinal multispicular fibres, parallel, secondary fibres subdividing subectosmal meshes parallel to the principal fibres ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Callyspongia (Callyspongia)

(7) Surface strongly conulose. Choanosomal multispicular primary fibres compact, abundantly divided, non-fasciculated, abundantly ramified triangular to irregular mesh. Scarce spongin. Microscleres toxas---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Callyspongia (Toxochalina)
Surface conulose to finely conulose or spiny. Choanosomal primary longitudinal fasciculated fibres, abundantly ramified, tertiary network always present. spongin variable amount, always visible. Microscleres absent ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Callyspongia (Cladochalina)

Diagnosis References

Desqueyroux-Faundez, R. & Valentine, C. 2002. Family Callyspongiidae de Laubenfels, 1936. pp. 835-851 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. [835]

General References

Bergquist, P.R. 1978. Sponges. London : Hutchinson 268 pp. 12 pls 81 figs 15 tables.

Bergquist, P.R. & Warne, K.P. 1980. The marine fauna of New Zealand: Porifera, Demospongiae, Part 3 (Haplosclerida and Nepheliospongida). Memoirs of the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute 87: 1-77 17 pls 4 figs

Fromont, J. 1995. Haplosclerida and Petrosida (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the New Caledonia Lagoon. Invertebrate Taxonomy 9: 149-180

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.

van Soest, R.W.M. 1980. Marine sponges from Curaçao and other Caribbean localities. Part II. Haplosclerida. Studies on the Fauna of Curaçao and other Caribbean Islands 62(191): 1-173 49 figs 18 pls

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