Family DESMANTHIDAE Topsent, 1894

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Introduction

Desmanthidae Topsent, 1894 are predominantly encrusting ‘Lithistids’, rarely massive in habit; choanosomal skeleton composed of branching desmas supposedly monocrepidial or clearly monocrepidial; other megascleres are oxeas and/or styles. Microscleres in one genus only, slightly resembling sanidasters.

This family presently contains about eleven species although some of these may not truly belong here. Van Soest & Hajdu (2000), in their review of Desmanthidae, also include Lithobubaris Vacelet, 1969 as a valid genus, whereas Pisera & Lévi (2002) consider that it is a younger synonym of Sulcastrella Schmidt. These authors also include the genus Petromica in Desmanthidae, provisionally at least, which is set slightly apart from other genera of this family (its desmas are quite different from those of other genera of the family), but this placement is equivocal and dependent on resolving clearer relationships between all families and genera attributed to Halichondrida, Axinellidae and also several groups within Hadromerida.

Diagnosis

Encrusting, rarely massive in habit; basal skeleton composed of clearly monaxial (or supposedly monaxial) desmas of complex branching pattern to trider-like morphology, accompanied by oxeas and styles/tylostyles perpendicular to the sponge surface. One genus has large microscleres slightly resembling sanidasters.

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA
(1) Massive in habit, desmas branching in various planes ......................................................Petromica
Encrusting in habit ............................................................................................................................... 2

(2) With microscleres resembling sanidasters ............................................................. Paradesmanthus
No microscleres ................................................................................................................................... 3

(3) Desmas of the outer layer trider-like ..............................................................................Desmanthus
Desmas hook-like, with pointed spines ................................................................................ Sulcastrella

Diagnosis References

Pisera, A. & Lévi, C. 2002. Family Desmanthidae Topsent, 1893. pp. 356-362 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. [356]

General References

Pisera, A. & Lévi, C. 2002. Family Desmanthidae Topsent, 1893. pp. 356-362 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.

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