Genus Thenea Gray, 1867
- Thenea Gray, J.E. 1867. Notes on the arrangement of sponges, with the description of some new genera. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London 1867: 492-558 pls 27-28 [541].
Type species:
Tethea muricata Bowerbank, 1864 by monotypy.
Distribution
States
New South Wales
Extra Distribution Information
Indian Ocean, Indo-Malayan region, Japan, E Pacific, amphi-Atlantic and Arctic.
IMCRA
Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38)
Distribution References
- Burton, M. 1959. Sponges. Scientific Reports of the John Murray Expedition 10(5): 151-281 41 figs [186]
Diagnosis
Distinctive ovate or mushroom-shaped sponges, with radial or bilateral symmetry, with one to few oscula at upper portion of the body, and with at least part of the ostia grouped in a one or more inhalant areas located near the equator of the body, in a transversal recess. Because most species live in deep, soft bottoms, the sponges are provided with basal, root-like processes for anchoring to the sediment or buried substrata. The transversal recess, sometimes provided with a protruding palisade of spicules, is thought to prevent the inhalant areas from clogging by the fine silt that characterises deep-sea habitats (Fig. 3A–C). The skeleton consists of at least a type of monaxons (oxeas and/or oxeotylotes), one or more types of long-shafted tetraxons (dichotriaenes, anatriaenes, mesoanatrienes, protriaenes, mesoprotriaenes, and/or orthotriaenes), and one or more categories of streptasters (plesiasters, amphiasters, metasters, spirasters); true microxeas are always absent, although plesiasters reduced to two-ray, microxea-like forms may occur in some species.
ID Keys
See Family Pachastrellidae Diagnosis.
Diagnosis References
Maldonado, M. 2002. Family Pachastrellidae Carter, 1875. pp. 141-162 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. [156]
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) |