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Family GRANTIIDAE Dendy, 1892


Compiler and date details

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

Introduction

Grantiidae Dendy, 1893 are very variable and include encrusting, lobate, tubular, sac-shaped, ovoid, spherical, vase-shaped and many other growth forms, either solitary or grouped and sessile, substipitate, or stipitate. The surface has a distinct dermal cortex and a proper cortical skeleton of tangential radiates (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 158), sometimes supplemented by, and occasionally replaced by, oxeas (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 164–174). The ectosomal cortex sometimes has quadriradiates (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 158) in association with choanosomal triradiates (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 147–153). The skeleton of the chamber layer ranges from regularly articulate to irregularly scattered, typically with subgastral sagittal radiates (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 155). Some subdermal pseudosagittal triradiates may occur, but these are regarded as derived from normal choanosomal spicules, and do not form a continuous distict layer as in the Heteropiidae. Subdermal quadriradiates (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 157, 158), if present, are always associated with the chamber-layer skeleton containing confused triradiates. Nuclei of collared cells are probably always apical. Choanocyte chambers are asconoid, elongate and radially arranged, or small, spherical and irregularly scattered in the choanosome (leuconoid).

The Grantiidae includes 25 recognised genera, among which 14 are recorded in the Australian fauna. The family has a generally widespread geographical distribution and occurs from intertidal habitats to depths of at least 2195 m (Hartman 1982).

Haeckel (1872) established Leucones as a supra-generic group for Leuconia and other genera, and it was later used at subfamily level by de Laubenfels (1936). Prior to Dendy (1893), both Leuconiinae Haeckel, 1872 and Grantiinae Lendenfeld, 1885 were used only at the subfamily level. We accept that Leuconiidae Haeckel, 1872 has priority over Grantiidae Dendy, 1893 under the ICZN: Art. 36a (Principle of co-ordination in family group taxa and names), however, we are reticent to change the established use of Grantiidae pending a thorough review of the order.

Reviews are available in Lendenfeld (1885a); Lendenfeld (1885b; as Grantinae); Dendy (1893a, 1893b; with Grantia, Grantiopsis, Ute, Synute, Utella, Anamixilla, Sycyssa, Leucandra, Lelapia, Leucyssa); Dendy & Row (1913; Lelapia removed to Lelapiidae; the following added: Teichonopsis, Sycute, Achramorpha, Uteopsis, Megapogon, Baeria, Leucopsilla, Aphroceras, Leucettaga, Paraleucilla, Lamontia, Trichogypsia, Kuarrhaphis, Eilhardia); Tanita (1943; key to genera); Hartman (1958; family referred to Sycettida); Borojevic (1966, 1968; discussion, differentiation from Heteropiidae); and Hartman (1982).

 

Diagnosis

Leucosolenida in which there is always a cortex, supported by a skeleton of tangential spicules that can be diactines, triactines, tetractines, or any combination of these. The aquiferous system is either syconoid with radial and elongate choanocyte chambers, or sylleibid or leuconoid with elongate or spherical, scattered choanocyte chambers. The inhalant and exhalant aquiferous systems are always fully developed. The choanoskeleton is articulate, tubular in syconoid species, and contains few to several rows of triactines and/or tetractines, or is, in leuconoid species, arranged without apparent order. In the latter case, the choanoskeleton always preserves traces of the radial organisation, particularly at the level of the subatrial triactines and/or tetractines. The atrial skeleton consisting of tangential triactines and/or tetractines is well developed.

 

ID Keys

See Order Lecusolenida Diagnosis

 

General References

Borojevic, R. 1966. Eponges calcaires des côtes de France. I. Amphiute paulini Hanitsch; les genres Amphiute et Paraheteropia. Archives de Zoologie Expérimentale et Générale 106: 665-670 2 figs

Borojevic, R. 1968. Systématique et évolution des éponges Calcaires. Dieuxième Thèse. Université de Paris. 33 pp.

Dendy, A. 1893. Studies on the comparative anatomy of sponges. V. Observations on the structure and classification of the Calcarea Heterocoela. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science 2 35: 159-257 pls 10-14

Dendy, A. 1893. Synopsis of the Australian Calcarea Heterocoela, with a proposed classification of the group and descriptions of some new genera and species. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria ns 5: 69-116

Dendy, A. & Row, R.W.H. 1913. The classification and phylogeny of the calcareous sponges, with a reference list of all the described species, systematically arranged. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1913: 704-813

Haeckel, E. 1872. Die Kalkschwämme. Eine Monographie in zwei Bänden Text und einem Atlas mit 60 Tafeln Abbildungen. Berlin : Georg Reimer Vol. 1 pp. 1-396; Vol. 2 pp. 1-418; Vol. 3, pls 1-30. [part translated in Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (4)11: 241–262, 421–430]

Hartman, W.D. 1958. A re-examination of Bidder's classification of the Calcarea. Systematic Zoology 7: 97-110

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.

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]

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

Lendenfeld, R. von 1885. A monograph of the Australian sponges. Part 3. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 9: 1083-1150 pls 59-67

Lendenfeld, R. von 1885. Die Verwandtschaftsverhältnisse der Kalkschwämme. Zoologischer Anzeiger 8: 211-215

Tanita, S. 1943. Studies on the Calcarea of Japan. Science Reports of the Tôhoku University Biology 17: 353-490 pls 11-18

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
21-Dec-2011 21-Dec-2011 MOVED
12-Feb-2010 (import)