Genus Xestospongia Laubenfels, 1932

Museums

Regional Maps

• Xestospongia Laubenfels, M.W. de 1932. The marine and fresh water sponges of California. Proceedings of the United States National Museum 2927/81(4): 1-140 [115].

  Type species:

   Haliclona diprosopia de Laubenfels, 1930 by original designation.

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Western Australia

IBRA and IMCRA regions

IMCRA

Timor Transition (1), Christmas Island Province (23), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Diagnosis

Petrosiidae lacking a special ectosomal skeleton, but a tangential disorganised network of free spicules which originate from the terminal ends of choanosomal tracts. Choanosomal skeleton a dense network of short longitudinal undivided pauci- to multispicular tracts of 6–10 spicules, connected by few oxeas. Roundish to polygonal large-spaced meshes delimited by unordered spicules. Free spicules are not present, but spicule brushes formed by the ends of connecting spicules are visible on the internal part of the mesh walls. Megascleres: oxeas with some strongylote and stylote forms, in a single size class, slightly bent, variable in size but not assigned to more than one class, larger than 200um long. Microscleres absent.

ID Keys

See Family Petrosiidae Diagnosis.

Diagnosis References

Desqueyroux-Faundez, R. & Valentine, C. 2002. Family Petrosiidae Van Soest, 1980. pp. 906-917 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. [916]

History of changes