Family VERTICILLITIDAE Steinmann, 1882

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Introduction

The extant genus Vaceletia is the only Recent representative of the polyphyletic group 'Sphinctozoa' or chambered sponges. The genus is presently classified in the fossil family Verticillitidae, on the basis of the characters of the chambered skeleton, but has shown to be clearly related to the dictyoceratids based on molecular evidence (Wörheide, 2008). Whether this relationship is applicable for fossil 'sphinctozoans' remains equivocal but morphological comparisons are compelling.

Previous allocation of Vaceletia has been to the Order Verticillitida Termier & Termier (in Termier, Termier & Vachard, 1977), with possible relationship to the Haplosclerida also proposed by Reitner (1992). However, possession of a viviparous mode of reproduction with a parenchymella larva indicates affinities with the 'Ceractinomorpha' Demospongiae (Vacelet 2002), and subsequently to the Dictoyceratida (Wörheide, 2008).

Diagnosis

Skeleton composed of aragonite with irregular structure, with or without siliceous spicules, and trabecular internal structure (from Senowbari-Daryan 1991).

Diagnosis References

Vacelet, J. 2002. Recent 'Sphinctozoa', Order Verticillitida, Family Verticillitidae Steinmann, 1882. pp. 1097-1098 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. [1097]

General References

Reitner, J. 1992. "Coralline Spongien" Der Versuch einer phylogenetisch-taxonomischen Analyse. Berlin, Germany : Selbstverlag Fachbereich Geowissenschaften, Freie Universitaat Berlin 352 pp.

Samaai, T., Gibbons, M.J. & Kelly, M. 1999. Morphological phylogenetic considerations on the relationships of Isodictya Bowerbank, 1865. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 44: 517-523

Wörheide, G. 2008. A hypercalcified sponge with soft relatives: Vaceletia is a keratose demosponge. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 47: 433-438 [433]

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