Family LELAPIIDAE Dendy & Row, 1913

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Introduction

Lelapiidae is characterised by spicular tracts that are not found in other Leucosolenida. These tracts contain triactines with reduced paired actines (nail-spicules) or diapasons (tuning-fork spicules), which replace the typical choanoskeleton. These spicules are similar to the type of skeleton found in the 'Pharetronida', which feature was thought to be an indication of the relationship between the Lelapiidae and fossil Calcarea, but the Lelapiidae represent a rather specialised and well-delimited family and do not have a close relationship with other calcareous sponges related to the fossil groups, such as the Lithonida and Murrayonida which have diapasons. Four genera have been allocated to Lelapiidae (Grantiopsis, Kebira, Lelapia and Paralelapia), with a recent review by Borojevic et al. (2002).

Diagnosis

Leucosolenida with syconoid, sylleibid or leuconoid organisation. The choanoskeleton contains typical subatrial spicules in the proximal region, associated with spicular tracts, consisting of modified triactines arranged in parallel, which traverse either radially or obliquely the choanosome. The cortex contains tangential triactines and occasionally large longitudinal diactines and/or small perpendicular diactines.

ID Keys

See Order Leucosolenida diagnosis

Diagnosis References

Borojevic, R., Boury-Esnault, N., Manuel, M. & Vacelet, J. 2002. Order Leucosolenida Hartman, 1958. pp. 1157-1184 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. [1181-1182]

General References

Woerheide, G. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Calcareous sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) provide clues for the conservation biology of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area. Biologue (Australian Biological Resources Study) April 2002: 10-11 (1181-1182)

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