Genus Spongia Linnaeus, 1759
Taxonomic Decision for Subgeneric Arrangement
- Cook, S.D.C. & Bergquist, P.R. 2002. Family Spongiidae Gray, 1867. pp. 1051-1060 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. [1054]
Introduction
Subgenera not identified in Hooper & Wiedenmayer (1994: 391), synonymies followed Bergquist (1980: 450).
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Amphi-Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Indo-Malayan region, W, central and E Pacific Ocean, Japan, New Zealand and Subantarctic.
IMCRA
Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Spencer Gulf Shelf Province (33), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Northwest Province (4), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41), Central Western Transition (5)
Distribution References
Diagnosis
The form of the sponge is variable, but it is usually massive spherical, lamellate, caliculate, or low and spreading. Sponges of the genus Spongia are unarmoured, and covered with low, evenlydisposed conules. The surface may be sand encrusted but never heavily or as an organised armour. The consistency is springy and very compressible, supple and elastic. The skeletal network is composed of a reduced number of cored, primary fibres and highly developed, uncored secondary fibres, which gives these sponges their flexibility, water retentive properties. Primaries are usually most obvious near the surface, where they may pierce the pinacoderm and support surface conules. Conules may also be supported by tufts of emergent primary fibres. The anastomosing of secondary fibres produces the skeletal reticulum, that creates a mesh-work of fibres. This mesh is created by the intersection and joining of fibres, and each fibre intersection always has three fibres leading away from it. A number of authors have referred to Spongia species as having reduced primary fibres. Evidence of this was observed in specimens of S. nitens, but it was not consistent enough within Spongia species to qualify as a useful generic character.
ID Keys
KEY TO SUBGENERA
(1) Sub-primary fibres of uniform diameter ------------------------------------------------------ 2
Sub-primary fibres display a clear size dichotomy, into secondary and pseudo-tertiary elements ------------------------------------------- Heterofibria
(2) Regular sub-primary fibre skeleton, with regular polygonal skeletal meshes ------------Spongia
Irregular sub-primary fibre skeleton, with more angular skeletal meshes ------------------ Australospongia
Diagnosis References
Cook, S.D.C. & Bergquist, P.R. 2002. Family Spongiidae Gray, 1867. pp. 1051-1060 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. [1051]
General References
Bergquist, P.R. 1980. A revision of the supraspecific classification of the orders Dictyoceratida, Dendroceratida and Verongida (Class Demospongiae). New Zealand Journal of Zoology 7: 443-503 figs 1-25 pls
Hooper, J.N.A. & Wiedenmayer, F. 1994. Porifera. pp. 1–620 in Wells, A. (ed.). Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Melbourne : CSIRO Australia Vol. 12 xiii 624 pp. [Date published 21/Nov/1994]
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) |