Introduction

Sponges of the family Rhabderemiidae Topsent, 1928 have encrusting, massive, bulbous or digitate growth forms. Their skeletons lack any axial compression, and are usually plumose or plumo-reticulate, composed of light spongin fibres cored by bouquets of entirely smooth, slightly spined or entirely spined rhabdostyles (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 26). Microscleres are normal or contorted sigmas (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: figs 79, 80), microstyles (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 107) and thraustoxeas (Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994: fig. 114); all with or without microspines.

Members of this family are widely distributed in moderate to deep waters, ranging down to at least 2165 m depth (Hartman 1982). The family presently includes a single genus (with several synonyms). Two species are known for tropical Australian waters and another species has been described recently from McMurdo Sound, Antarctica (Van Soest & Hooper 1993).

Unlike Bubaridae, which occasionally have rhabdose bases on megascleres, the megascleres of Rhabderemiidae are always rhabdose, often acanthose, and usually produce a plumose (less often plumo-reticulate) architecture. This spicule form has probably been acquired independently by the two families. Rhabderemiidae also has several categories of peculiar microscleres, some of which are unique (or have unique modifications). Van Soest & Hooper (1993) suggest that the Raspailiidae are the close sister group to this family, although the unique microscleres in Rhabderemia make this relationship speculative.

Recent revisions are those of Hooper (1990) and Van Soest & Hooper (1993). Other reviews are in Brien et al. (1973), Bergquist (1978) and Hartman (1982).

Diagnosis

Thinly and thickly encrusting, massive, lobate, anastomosing, digitate, arborescent and lobate-flabellate growth forms; megascleres consist of smooth or distally spined monactinal choanosomal rhabdostyles bearing a basal spiral twist forming hymedesmioid, plumose, plumo-reticulate or reticulate skeletal structures, usually with poorly developed spongin fibres, with rhabdostyles usually forming diverging plumose tracts within fibres; microscleres if present include rugose oxeote or toxa-like spicules (thraustoxeas), rugose sigma-like spicules (spirosigmata, thraustosigmata) and rugose microstyles.

ID Keys

Monogeneric.

Diagnosis References

Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Family Rhabderemiidae Topsent, 1928. pp. 511-514 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. [511]

General References

Bergquist, P.R. 1978. Sponges. London : Hutchinson 268 pp. 12 pls 81 figs 15 tables.

Brien, P., Lévi, C., Sarà, M., Tuzet, O. & Vacelet, J. 1973. Spongiaires. pp. 1-716 485 figs in Grassé, P.P. (ed.). Traité de Zoologie. Anatomie, Systématique, Biologie. Paris : Masson et Cie Vol. 3(1).

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. 1990. A new species of Rhabderemia Topsent (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Great Barrier Reef. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 7(1): 65-78

van Soest, R.W.M. & Hooper, J.N.A. 1993. Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the marine sponge genus Rhabderemia (Porifera: Poecilosclerida). In, Uriz, M.J. & Rützler, K. (eds) Recent Advances in Ecology and Systematics of Sponges. Scientia Marina 57(4): 319-351

History of changes

• Rhabderemia Topsent, E. 1890. Notice préliminaire sur les Spongiaires recueillies durant les campagnes de l'Hirondelle (1886–1887–1888) Golfe de Gascogne, Açores, Terre Neuve. Bulletin de la Société Zoologique de France 15: 26-32, 65-71 [28].

  Type species:

   Microciona pusilla Carter, 1876 by subsequent designation, see Dendy, A. 1905. Report on the sponges collected by Professor Herdman, at Ceylon, in 1902. 57-246 pls 1-16 in Herdman, W.A. (ed.). Report to the Government of Ceylon on the Pearl Oyster Fisheries of the Gulf of Manaar. London : Royal Society Vol. 3 Suppl. 18. [180].
• Rhabdosigma Hallmann, E.F. 1916. A revision of the genera with microscleres included, or provisionally included, in the family Axinellidae, with descriptions of some Australian species. Part 2. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 41: 495-552 6 figs pls 29/4, 30-32, 33/1-5, [520].

  Type species:

   Sigmaxinella mammillata Whitelegge, 1907 by original designation.
• [Hallmannia] Burton, M. 1931. On a collection of marine sponges mostly from the Natal coast. Annals of the Natal Museum 6: 337-358 9 figs pl. 23 [352] [junior homonym of Hallmannia Burton, 1930 (519)].

  Type species:

   Biemna aruensis Hentschel, 1912 by monotypy.

  Secondary source:

   Hooper, J.N.A. 1990. A new species of Rhabderemia Topsent (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Great Barrier Reef. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 7(1): 65-78 [66].
• Nisibaris 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 [144].

  Type species:

   Hallmannia spirophora Burton, 1931 by original designation.

Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy

• Hooper, J.N.A. 1990. A new species of Rhabderemia Topsent (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Great Barrier Reef. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 7(1): 65-78 [66]

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Tasmania

Extra Distribution Information

Caribbean, Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, W Indian Ocean, Indo-Pacific and E Pacific Ocean.

IMCRA

Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Distribution References

Diagnosis References

Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Family Rhabderemiidae Topsent, 1928. pp. 511-514 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. [512]

History of changes

• Rhabderemia antarctica van Soest, R.W.M. & Hooper, J.N.A. 1993. Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of the marine sponge genus Rhabderemia (Porifera: Poecilosclerida). In, Uriz, M.J. & Rützler, K. (eds) Recent Advances in Ecology and Systematics of Sponges. Scientia Marina 57(4): 319-351 [334].

  Type data:

   Holotype BMNH 1926.10.26.92, McMurdo Sound, Antarctica, 77º05´S 164º18´E.

Distribution

Extra Distribution Information

Antarctica.

Known only from type locality.

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 252 m.

History of changes

• Sigmaxinella mammillata Whitelegge, T. 1907. Sponges. Part I (Addenda). Part 2. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 4: 487-515 pls 45-46 [512].

  Type data:

   
  Syntype(s) AM G4356 dry (NMV photos 5/3,4), 63–94 m, off Norah Heads, NSW; AM Z475 wet (not found), 63–94 m, off Norah Heads, NSW.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Tasmania

IMCRA

Tasmanian Shelf Province (36), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 58–86 m.

History of changes

• Rhabderemia sorokinae Hooper, J.N.A. 1990. A new species of Rhabderemia Topsent (Porifera: Demospongiae) from the Great Barrier Reef. The Beagle, Records of the Museums and Art Galleries of the Northern Territory 7(1): 65-78 [68].

  Type data:

   Holotype NTM Z3580, Deloraine Is., Whitsunday Is. Great Barrier Reef, QLD.

Distribution

States

Queensland

Extra Distribution Information

Whitsunday Is.,.

IMCRA

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

Ecological Descriptors

Filter-feeder, marine, sessile.

Extra Ecological Information

Depth 20 m.

History of changes