Genus Onotoa Laubenfels, 1955

Museums

Regional Maps

• Amphinolana Rützler, K. & Hooper, J. 2000. Two new genera of hadromerid sponges (Demospongea). Zoosystema 22(2): 337-344 [339].

  Type species:

   Amphinolana claudelevii Rützler & Hooper, 2000 by original designation.
• Onotoa Laubenfels, M.W. de 1955. Sponges of Onotoa. Pacific Science 9(2): 137-143 [140].

  Type species:

   Onotoa amphiastra De Laubenfels, 1955 by original designation.

Distribution

States

Queensland

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IMCRA

Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Diagnosis

Crustose sponges with cortical plates separated by grooves. Tracts of megascleres (tylostyles) radiating from the base toward the surface. Stony hard cortex and basal spicule layer formed by unusual, cemented microscleres, barbell-shaped amphispherasters (or amphisterrasters). This spicule type was termed amphinolaster (Rützler & Hooper 2000) to contrast the selenaster of Placospongia, a spiraster derivative (Vosmaer & Vernhout 1902). Accessory microspined spirasters and long-rayed amphiasters (only in the type species) are microscleres found mainly in the choanosome. Two species from intertidal habitats in the Pacific Ocean.

ID Keys

See Family Placospongiidae Diagnosis.

Diagnosis References

Rützler, K. 2002. Family Placospongiidae Gray, 1867. pp. 196-200 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. [197]

History of changes