Family SPIRASTRELLIDAE Ridley & Dendy, 1886
Compiler and date details
2010 - John N.A. Hooper, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia; Felix Wiedenmayer (1994), Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Basel, Switzerland; updated by John N.A. Hooper (1999)
Diagnosis
Encrusting sponges with limestone-excavating capability in early stages but without adult endolithic habit. Exhalant canal system apparent at the surface (particularly obvious in live sponges, contracted in preserved specimens) as meandering, vein-like structures converging on oscula. Skeleton formed by relatively uncommon megascleres in ascending radial tracts and dense layers of microscleres in the ectosomal region and as base layer. Megascleres mainly tylostyles, tracts starting at the sponge base and ending in bouquet-like fashion (spicule points outward) in the ectosomal region or protruding beyond the sponge surface; some megascleres oriented at random in the choanosome. Microscleres composed of large and stout streptasters (spirasters, diplasters), very common throughout the sponge but forming extra-dense cortex-like layers in the ectosome and at the base (substrate attachment).
ID Keys
KEY TO GENERA
(1) Microscleres composed primarily of spirasters ---------------------------------------------------------------- Spirastrella
Microscleres composed primarily of diplasters --------------------------------------------------------------------- Diplastrella
Diagnosis References
Rützler, K. 2002. Family Spirastrellidae Ridley & Dendy, 1886. pp. 220-223 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. [220]
General References
Rosell, D. & Uriz, M.J. 1997. Phylogenetic relationships within the excavating Hadromerida (Porifera), with a systematic revision. Cladistics 13: 349-366
Rützler, K. 2002. Family Spirastrellidae Ridley & Dendy, 1886. pp. 220-223 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.
Vicente, V., Ruetzler, K., Carballeira, N.M. 1991. Comparative morphology, ecology and fatty acid composition of West Indian Spheciospongia (Demospongea). Pubblicazioni della Stazione Zoologica di Napoli I: Marine Ecology 12(3): 211-226
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-Mar-2018 | 15-Dec-2011 | MOVED | ||
| 29-Mar-2018 | 13-Apr-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |