Order LITHONIDA Vacelet, 1981

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Diagnosis

Calcaronea with reinforced skeleton consisting either of linked or cemented basal actines of tetractines, or of a rigid basal mass of calcite. Diapason spicules generally present. Canal system leuconoid.

ID Keys

KEY TO GENERA
(1) Skeleton including a solid mass of calcite --------------------------------------------------------------------Petrobiona
Skeleton without a solid mass of calcite --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2

(2) Basal skeleton made of uncemented tri- and tetractines interlaced by their basal actines ----------- Tulearinia
Basal skeleton made of tetractines cemented in a rigid network ---------------------------------------------------------- 3

(3) Rigid network of tetractines embedded in a cement ----------------------------------------------------- Minchinella
Rigid network of tetractines not embedded in a cement ------------------------------------------------------------------- 4

(4) Basal skeleton made of a single category of tetractines --------------------------------------- Monoplectroninia
Basal skeleton made of two categories of tetractines----------------------------------------------------------------------- 5

(5) Basal skeleton forming a thin basal layer (in Recent species) ------------------------------------------ Plectroninia
Basal skeleton with ascending radial lines -------------------------------------------------------------------- Petrostroma

Diagnosis References

Vacelet, J., Borojevic, R., Boury-Esnault, N. & Manuel, M. 2002. Order Lithonida Vacelet, 1981, Recent. pp. 1185-1192 in Hooper, J.N.A. & Soest, R.W.M. Van (eds). Systema Porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Vol. 2. [1185]

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