Family CLATHRINIDAE Minchin, 1900

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Family CLATHRINIDAE Minchin, 1900

Compiler and date details

January 2017 - Kathryn A. Hall, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

John N.A. Hooper, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Felix Wiedenmayer (1994), Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Basel, Switzerland; updated by John N.A. Hooper (1999)

Clathrinidae Minchin, 1900.
Type genus:
Clathrina Gray, 1867.
Soleniscida Haeckel, 1870 [nomen oblitum].

Introduction

1994 INTRODUCTION
Clathrinidae Minchin, 1900 are asconoid sponges. Their growth form is typically reticulate, with a system of oscular tubes which are generally short and anastomosing, and each system terminating in an osculum. Trends in growth forms in the family range from those with wide central oscular tubes into which narrow asconoid tubes empty, to species with an outer covering, termed a pseudoderm, formed of outgrowths of the peripheral asconoid tubes of the sponge. In the latter, a false spongocoel, opening by way of a pseudosculum, may develop through enlargement of the canal system toward the centre of the sponge. Triradiate spicules (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 147) are always present, equiangular, and with the crystalline optic axis vertical to the facial plane of the rays. The presence of these spicules helps to distinguish the group from asconoid members of the subclass Calcaronea. Monaxon spicules (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 164–174) are present or absent. Collar-cells have the flagellum arising quite independent of the nucleus, which is spherical in form and situated at the base of the cell. Choanocytes are not confined to isolated chambers, but line the central cavity (spongocoele) of the tubes that make up the complicated sponge form. Larvae are coeloblastulae (Hartman 1982).

Borojevic et al. (1990) provide a diagnosis for the family (based on three genera, excluding Ascandra and Dendya—included by Hartman (1982)) which includes sponges with essentially tubular organisation, with a continuous choanoderm lining all the internal cavities; growth by longitudinal median divisions and anastomosis of tubes to form large units called the cormus; no common cortex; and no well defined inhalant and exhalant aquiferous system.

Two genera are included in the family, both with representatives recorded in the Australian fauna. Clathrinids are widely distributed and range from intertidal habitats to depths of at least 860 m (Hartman 1982).

Reviews of the family are available in Bidder (1898: Clathrina and Guancha included); Minchin (1900: Clathrina, Ascandra and Dendya included); Minchin (1909); Dendy & Row (1913); Hartman (1958: Clathrina, Ascute and Dendya included); Borojevic (1968: retained sensu Minchin, 1909, with Clathrina sensu novo, Dendya and Ascandra sensu novo); Hartman (1982); Borojevic & Peixinho (1976); and Borojevic et al. (1990: restricted to two genera only).

2004 - INTRODUCTION

Diagnosis

Clathrinida with an essentially tubular organisation. The skeleton is formed by tangential triactines, to which tripods, tetractines and diactines may be added. A continuous choanoderm lines all the internal cavities. The water crosses the wall through pores, delimited by porocytes. The young sponges have an olynthus form that grows through longitudinal median division, budding and anastomosis of individual tubes, forming large units called the 'cormus'. There is neither a common cortex nor a well-defined inhalant or exhalant aquiferous system.