Ancorinidae

Rolling sponge Stelletta clavosa, copyright Ria Tan.

Belongs within: Democlavia.

The Ancorinidae are a diverse and poorly-defined group of demosponges with major spicules composed of oxeas (rods terminally tapering to a point) and/or triaenes (rods with ends divided into three).

Characters (from Uriz 2002): Skeleton with long-rhabdome triaenes, which may be reduced or absent, and oxeas. Microscleres are euasters, sanidasters or microrhabds.

Ancorinidae
    |--Psammastra conulosa Kieschnick 1896 BJ06
    |--Pachamphilla dendyi Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Penares sollasi Thiele 1900 BJ06
    |--Holoxea valida Thiele 1900 BJ06
    |--Melophlus sarassinorum Thiele 1899 FV09
    |--Ancorina cordicata (Carter 1879) W04
    |--Asteropus simplex (Carter 1879) MG-H11
    |--Tethyopsis MG-H11
    |--Tribrachium MG-H11
    |--Ecionemia MG-H11
    |    |--E. cinerea Thiele 1900 BJ06
    |    `--E. cribrosa Thiele 1900 BJ06
    |--Rhabdastrella MG-H11
    |    |--R. distincta (Thiele 1900) [=Coppatias distinctus] BJ06
    |    `--R. globostellata (Carter 1883) FV09
    |--Jaspis MG-H11
    |    |--J. splendens (de Laubenfels 1954) FV09
    |    `--J. topsenti Thiele 1900 BJ06
    `--Stelletta Schmidt 1862 [incl. Anthastra Sollas 1886, Myriastra Sollas 1886, Pilochrota Sollas 1886] BJ06
         |--S. aruensis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--S. brunnea Thiele 1900 [=S. (Pilochrota) brunnea] BJ06
         |--S. clavosa Ridley 1884 FV09
         |--S. debilis Thiele 1900 [=S. (Myriastra) debilis] BJ06
         |--S. ternatensis Thiele 1900 [=S. (Myriastra) ternatensis] BJ06
         `--S. variohamata Thiele 1900 [=S. (Anthastra) variohamata] BJ06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[FV09] Fromont, J., & M. A. Vanderklift. 2009. Porifera (sponges) of Mermaid, Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, north Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 77: 89–103.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

Uriz, M. J. 2002. Family Ancorinidae Schmidt, 1870. In: Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest. 2002. Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges pp. 108–126. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York.

[W04] Williams, J. D. 2004. Reproduction and morphology of Polydorella (Polychaeta: Spionidae), including the description of a new species from the Philippines. Journal of Natural History 38: 1339–1358.

Tetillidae

Golf-ball sponge Cinachyra sp., copyright Nick Hobgood.

Belongs within: Democlavia.

The Tetillidae, golf-ball sponges, are a widespread group of mostly globular demosponges.

Characters (from Van Soest & Rützler 2002): Typically with spherical growth form, often with characteristic pits (porocalices) containing inhalant and occasionally also exhalant orifices. Cortical region often strengthened by collagen fibers and special cortical megascleres, but may be thin or absent. Skeleton with tetraxonic and monaxonic megascleres (triaenes, huge oxeas) organized in radiate pattern of spicule bundles, often spiralling outwards from centre of body; oxeas, protriaenes and anatriaenes most common, often protruding from surface producing conulose or hairy surface. Porocalices, if present, forming palisade of long spicules, protruding far beyond sponge surface, surrounding porefields or oscular apertures lying in rounded depressions. Microscleres contorted microspined sigmaspires. Reproduction oviparous without larval stage, or viviparous with production of young adults within parent.

Tetillidae [Spirophorida]
    |--Paratetilla aruensis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Cinachyrella australiensis (Carter 1886) MG-H11
    |--Tetilla MG-H11
    |    |--T. bacca (Selenka 1867) [incl. T. ternatensis Kieschnick 1896] BJ06
    |    `--T. japonica C-SC03
    `--Cinachyra Sollas 1886 SV86
         |--C. australiensis Carter 1881 FV09
         |--C. mertoni Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--C. nuda Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--C. subterranea Van Soest & Sass 1981 SV86
         `--C. vertex von Lendenfeld 1907 BJ06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[C-SC03] Cavalier-Smith, T., & E. E.-Y. Chao. 2003. Phylogeny of Choanozoa, Apusozoa, and other Protozoa and early eukaryote megaevolution. Journal of Molecular Evolution 56: 540–563.

[FV09] Fromont, J., & M. A. Vanderklift. 2009. Porifera (sponges) of Mermaid, Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, north Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 77: 89–103.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

Van Soest, R. W. M., & K. Rützler. 2002. Family Tetillidae Sollas, 1886. In: Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest. 2002. Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges pp. 85–98. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York.

[SV86] Van Soest, R. W. M., & M. Velikonja. 1986. Porifera. In: Botosaneanu, L. (ed.) Stygofauna Mundi: A Faunistic, Distributional, and Ecological Synthesis of the World Fauna inhabiting Subterranean Waters (including the Marine Interstitial) pp. 30–32. E. J. Brill/Dr. W. Backhuys: Leiden.

Microcionidae

Clathria reinwardti, copyright Nick Hobgood.

Belongs within: Poecilosclerida.

The Microcionidae are a group of demosponges found predominantly in shallow waters, with the skeleton usually differentiated between distinct choanosomal, subectosomal and ectosomal regions (Hooper 2002).

Characters (from Hooper 2002): Skeleton with terminally spined ectosomal styles, rarely modified to quasidiactinal or diactinal forms; three skeletal regions defined by presence of different forms of structural styles: choanosomal (axial) skeleton (with spongin fibres enveloping principal styles echinatcd by acanthose or smooth styles; sometimes replaced by a basal or axial renieroid skeleton of smooth or acanthose styles or strongyles, with or without echinating spicules); subectosomal (extra-axial or extra-fibre) skeleton (with individual or tracts of auxiliary styles ascending to surface); and ectosomal skeleton (with smaller auxiliary styles forming a surface crust tangential, paratangential or perpendicular to surface); one or more skeletal regions may be lost or modified. Megascleres predominantly smooth styles, may be modified and/or supplemented by quasidiactinal or diactinal forms, or lost completely and replaced with detritus. Microscleres including palmate isochelae and diverse forms of toxas.

<==Microcionidae
    |--Echinochalina (Echinochalina) intermedia (Whitelegge 1902) FV09
    |--Echinoclathria leporina (Lamarck 1814) MG-H11
    |--Antho Gray 1867 BJ06
    |    `--A. (Acarnia Gray 1867) [incl. Plocamia Schmidt 1870] BJ06
    |         `--‘Plocamia’ ridleyi Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Holopsamma Carter 1885 MG-H11, LT64
    |    |--*H. laevis Carter 1885 LT64
    |    |--H. arborea (Lendenfeld 1888) MG-H11
    |    `--H. turbo Carter 1885 [=Sigmatella turbo] T72
    `--Clathria Schmidt 1862 BJ06
         |  i. s.: C. claviformis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. coppingeri BJ06
         |           |--C. c. coppingeri BJ06
         |           `--C. c. aculeata Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. frondifera BJ06
         |           |--C. f. frondifera BJ06
         |           |--C. f. dichela Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |           `--C. f. major Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. mixta Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. nuda Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. spiculosa BJ06
         |           |--C. s. spiculosa BJ06
         |           `--C. s. macilenta Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         C. typica BJ06
         |           |--C. t. typica BJ06
         |           `--C. t. porrecta Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--C. (Isociella) selachia Hooper 1996 MG-H11
         |--C. (Microciona) FV09
         |    |--C. (M.) aceratoobtusa (Carter 1887) FV09
         |    `--‘Microciona’ prolifera C-SC03
         `--C. (Thalysias Duchassaing & Michelotti 1864) [incl. Rhaphidophlus Ehlers 1870] BJ06
              |--C. (T.) abietina (Lamarck 1814) MG-H11
              |--C. (T.) cervicornis (Thiele 1903) FV09 [=Rhaphidophlus cervicornis BJ06]
              |--‘Rhaphidophlus’ coralliophilus Thiele 1903 BJ06
              |--C. (T.) juniperina (Lamarck 1814) MG-H11
              |--C. (T.) procera (Ridley 1884) MG-H11
              `--C. (T.) reinwardti Vosamer 1880 FV09

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[C-SC03] Cavalier-Smith, T., & E. E.-Y. Chao. 2003. Phylogeny of Choanozoa, Apusozoa, and other Protozoa and early eukaryote megaevolution. Journal of Molecular Evolution 56: 540–563.

[FV09] Fromont, J., & M. A. Vanderklift. 2009. Porifera (sponges) of Mermaid, Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, north Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 77: 89–103.

Hooper, J. N. A. 2002. Family Microcionidae Carter, 1875. In: Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest (eds) Systema Porifera: A Guide to the Classification of Sponges pp. 432–468. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York.

[LT64] Loeblich, A. R., Jr & H. Tappan. 1964. Sarcodina: chiefly “thecamoebians” and Foraminiferida. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt C. Protista 2 vol. 2. The Geological Society of America and The University of Kansas Press.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

[T72] Tendal, O. S. 1972. A monograph of the Xenophyophoria (Rhizopodea, Protozoa). Galathea Report 12: 7–99.

Poecilosclerida

Orange sponge Mycale armata, copyright J. Hoover.

Belongs within: Democlavia.
Contains: Dendroricellidae, Microcionidae, Raspailiidae, Coelosphaeridae.

The Poecilosclerida is a group of demosponges with discrete organic and inorganic skeletons, with discrete siliceous spicules (Hooper & Van Soest 2002).

Characters (from Hooper & Van Soest 2002): Skeleton composed of discrete siliceous spicules; main skeleton composed of megascleres (monactinal, diactinal or both) and spongin fibres in various stages of development; both fibre and mineral skeletons showing regional differentiation such that megascleres are often differentiated into distinct ectosomal and choanosomal components; microscleres including meniscoid forms such as chelae, sigmas and sigmancistra-derivatives, and other diverse forms such as toxas, raphides, microxeas and discate microrhabds. Reproduction usually viviparous with incompletely ciliated parenchymella larva; rarely oviparous.

Poecilosclerida
    |--Myxillina L01
    |    |--Coelosphaeridae L01
    |    `--Myxillidae MG-H11
    |         |--Hymenancora lundbecki Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |         |--Myxilla Schmidt 1862 [incl. Dendoryx Gray 1867] BJ06
    |         |    `--M. grata Thiele 1903 [=Dendoryx grata ms] BJ06
    |         `--Iotrochota MG-H11
    |              |--I. baculifera Ridley 1884 MG-H11
    |              |--I. coccinea (Carter 1886) FV09
    |              `--I. purpurea (Bowerbank 1875) BJ06
    `--Mycalina FA10
         |--Mycalidae MG-H11
         |    |--Phlyctaenopora MG-H11
         |    `--Mycale Gray 1867 [incl. Esperella Vosmaer 1885] BJ06
         |         |--M. armata Thiele 1903 [=Esperella armata ms] BJ06
         |         |--M. fibrexilis C-SC03
         |         |--M. macilenta B79
         |         |--M. moluccensis Thiele 1903 BJ06
         |         |--M. rhaphidotoxa Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |         |--M. richardsoni F79
         |         `--M. sulcata BJ06
         |              |--M. s. sulcata BJ06
         |              `--M. s. aruensis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         `--Guitarridae FA10
              |--Tetrapocillon Brøndsted 1924 FA10
              |    |--*T. novaezealandiae Brøndsted 1924 FA10
              |    |--T. atlanticus Van Soest 1988 FA10
              |    |--T. kurushimensis Tanita 1961 FA10
              |    |--T. minor Pulitzer-Finali 1993 FA10
              |    `--T. patbergquistae Fromont, Alvarez et al. 2010 FA10
              `--Guitarra FA10
                   |--G. fimbriata Carter 1874 FA10
                   `--G. indica Dendy 1916 FA10

Poecilosclerida incertae sedis:
  Acarnidae MG-H11
    |--Acarnus MG-H11
    |--Cornulum dubium Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Damiria simplex Keller 1891 [incl. D. simplex fistulata Hentschel 1912] BJ06
    `--Zyzzya MG-H11
         |--Z. criceta Schoenberg 2000 FV09
         `--Z. fuliginosa (Carter 1879) FV09
  Chondropsidae MG-H11
    |--Chondropsis MG-H11
    |--Phoriospongia MG-H11
    |--Strongylacidon MG-H11
    `--Psammoclemma Marshall 1880 BJ06 [incl. Psammopemma Marshall 1880 BJ06]
         |--‘*Psammopemma’ densum Marshall 1881 LT64
         |--‘Psammopemma’ durissimum BJ06
         |    |--P. d. durissimum BJ06
         |    `--P. d. grisea Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         `--‘Psammopemma’ porosum Polejaff 1884 T72
  Crambeidae MG-H11
    |--Crambe crambe F79
    `--Monanchora unguiculata (Dendy 1922) FV09
  Crella [Crellidae] MG-H11
  Dendoricellidae MG-H11
  Hymedesmiidae MG-H11
    |--Hymedesmia mertoni Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Phorbas MG-H11
    `--Hamigera [incl. Amoibodictya] BJ06
         `--*H. hamigera [incl. *Amoibodictya forsteri Zahn, Müller & Müller 1977] BJ06
  Coelocarteria [Isodictyidae] MG-H11
  Latrunculiidae MG-H11
    |--Latrunculia MG-H11
    `--Sceptrella MG-H11
  Microcionidae MG-H11
  Raspailiidae MG-H11
  Rhabderemia [Rhabderemiidae] MG-H11
    `--R. indica Dendy 1905 FV09
  Tedaniidae MG-H11
    |--Hemitedania MG-H11
    |--Strongylamma MG-H11
    `--Tedania MG-H11
         |--T. actiniformis F79
         |--T. anhelans (Lieberkuhn 1859) FV09
         |--T. brevispiculata Thiele 1903 BJ06
         |--T. coralliophila Thiele 1903 BJ06
         |--T. dirhaphis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--T. maeandrica Thiele 1903 BJ06
         `--T. reticulata Thiele 1903 BJ06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[B79] Buss, L. W. 1979. Habitat selection, directional growth and spatial refuges: why colonial animals have more hiding places. In: Larwood, G., & B. R. Rosen (eds) Biology and Systematics of Colonial Organisms pp. 459–497. Academic Press: London.

[C-SC03] Cavalier-Smith, T., & E. E.-Y. Chao. 2003. Phylogeny of Choanozoa, Apusozoa, and other Protozoa and early eukaryote megaevolution. Journal of Molecular Evolution 56: 540–563.

[FA10] Fromont, J., B. Alvarez, O. Gomez & E. Roberts. 2010. Tetrapocillon (Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida: Guitarridae) in Australia, with the description of a new species. Records of the Western Australian Museum 26 (1): 70–86.

[FV09] Fromont, J., & M. A. Vanderklift. 2009. Porifera (sponges) of Mermaid, Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, north Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 77: 89–103.

[F79] Fry, W. G. 1979. Taxonomy, the individual and the sponge. In: Larwood, G., & B. R. Rosen (eds) Biology and Systematics of Colonial Organisms pp. 49–80. Academic Press: London.

Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest. 2002. Order Poecilosclerida Topsent, 1928. In: Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest (eds) Systema Porifera: A Guide to the Classification of Sponges pp. 403–408. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York.

[L01] Lee, W. L. 2001. Four new species of Forcepia (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Coelosphaeridae) from California, and synonymy of Wilsa de Laubenfels, 1930, with Forcepia, Carter, 1874. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 52 (18): 227–244.

[LT64] Loeblich, A. R., Jr & H. Tappan. 1964. Sarcodina: chiefly “thecamoebians” and Foraminiferida. In: Moore, R. C. (ed.) Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology pt C. Protista 2 vol. 2. The Geological Society of America and The University of Kansas Press.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

[T72] Tendal, O. S. 1972. A monograph of the Xenophyophoria (Rhizopodea, Protozoa). Galathea Report 12: 7–99.

Raspailiidae

Triketrion flabelliforme, overgrown by zoanthid Palythoa, from the Queensland Museum.

Belongs within: Poecilosclerida.

The Raspailiidae are a group of often branching sponges, with a distinct outer skeleton composed of spicule brushes grouped around extra-axial spicules.

Characters (from Hooper 1991): Typically branching, less often massive, flabelliform or encrusting. Surface typically hispid, even, but forms with microconules or entirely smooth surfaces also known. Ectosomal skeleton with ectosomal spicule brushes (fine styles, oxeas or anisoxeas) grouped around one or more long, central, extra-axial spicules (styles, oxeas or anisoxeas). Skeletal construction usually well developed, consisting of at least two differentiated structures: axially or basally condensed choanosomal skeleton, and extra-axial subectosomal skeleton, which may be radial, plumose or plumo-reticulate. Taxa with predominantly reticulate skeletal choanosomal architecture preserve at least some rudiments of extra-axial skeleton, in form of single (or groups of) subectosomal spicules. Spongin fibres usually echinated by acanthostyles which may be secondarily lost. Acanthostyle geometry extremely diverse. Structural megascleres varying from true styles to true oxeas, with intermediate forms. Microscleres occurring rarely, when present consisting of raphides (or microxeas).

<==Raspailiidae
    |--Cyamon aruense Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--*Axechina raspailiodes Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Aulospongus MG-H11
    |--Ceratopsion dichotoma (Whitelegge 1907) MG-H11
    |--Echinodictyum cancellatum (Lamarck 1814) MG-H11
    |--Lithoplocamia MG-H11
    |--Thrinacophora cervicornis Ridley & Dendy 1886 MG-H11
    |--Trikentrion flabelliforme Carter 1882 MG-H11
    |--Raspailia MG-H11
    |    |  i. s.: R. fruticosa BJ06
    |    |           |--R. f. fruticosa BJ06
    |    |           `--R. f. aruensis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |    |--R. (Raspailia) vestigifera Dendy 1896 MG-H11
    |    |--R. (Clathriodendron) desmoxyiformis Hooper 1991 MG-H11
    |    `--R. (Syringella) rhaphidophora Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    `--Hymeraphia BJ06
         |--H. aruensis Hentzschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. calochela Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. distincta Thiele 1903 BJ06
         |--H. lendenfeldi Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. longitoxa Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. rhopalophora Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. similis Thiele 1903 BJ06
         |--H. tetrastyla Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         |--H. thielei Hentschel 1912 BJ06
         `--H. toxifera Hentschel 1912 BJ06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

Hooper, J. N. A. 1991. Revision of the family Raspailiidae (Porifera : Demospongiae), with description of Australian species. Invertebrate Taxonomy 5: 1179–1418.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

Geodiidae

Geodia cydonium, from here.

Belongs within: Democlavia.

The Geodiidae are a family of sponges characterised by a two-layered cortex, with ball-shaped spicules (sterrasters) in the inner layer. They are predominantly found on soft bottoms in the bathyal zone, but some species are found in dark habitats such as crevices in more shallow waters (Uriz 2002).

Characters (from Uriz 2002): Thickly encrusting, massive to globular growth forms with well-developed cortex. Cortex made of two differentiated layers: external layer fleshy and collagenous, with one of the variously specialised microscleres (euasters, spherules or microrhabds); inner layer filled with sterrasters. Euasters or microscleres may also be present in choanosome. Megascleres are regular, long-shafted triaenes, and oxeas.

Geodiidae
    |--Isops MG-H11
    |--Sidonops alba (Kieschnick 1896) [=Synops alba] BJ06
    |    |--S. a. alba BJ06
    |    `--S. a. minor Hentschel 1912 BJ06
    |--Erylus MG-H11
    |    |--E. amissus Adams & Hooper 2001 FV09
    |    |--E. lendenfeldi Sollas 1888 MG-H11
    |    `--E. nobilis Thiele 1900 BJ06
    `--Geodia MG-H11
         |--G. cydonium AS12
         |--G. kuekenthali Thiele 1900 BJ06
         |--G. muelleri F79
         |--G. parkesi Pickett 1967 F71
         |--G. phlegraei F79
         |--G. rovinjensis Müller, Müller et al. 1983 BJ06
         `--G. sphaeroides (Kieschnick 1896) [=Cydonium sphaeroides] BJ06

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[AS12] Adl, S. M., A. G. B. Simpson, C. E. Lane, J. Lukeš, D. Bass, S. S. Bowser, M. W. Brown, F. Burki, M. Dunthorn, V. Hampl, A. Heiss, M. Hoppenrath, E. Lara, E. Le Gall, D. H. Lynn, H. McManus, E. A. D. Mitchell, S. E. Mozley-Stanridge, L. W. Parfrey, J. Pawlowski, S. Rueckert, L. Shadwick, C. L. Schoch, A. Smirnov & F. W. Spiegel. 2012. The revised classification of eukaryotes. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 59 (5): 429–493.

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[F71] Fletcher, H. O. 1971. Catalogue of type specimens of fossils in the Australian Museum, Sydney. Australian Museum Memoir 13: 1–167.

[FV09] Fromont, J., & M. A. Vanderklift. 2009. Porifera (sponges) of Mermaid, Scott and Seringapatam Reefs, north Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 77: 89–103.

[F79] Fry, W. G. 1979. Taxonomy, the individual and the sponge. In: Larwood, G., & B. R. Rosen (eds) Biology and Systematics of Colonial Organisms pp. 49–80. Academic Press: London.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

Uriz, M. J. 2002. Family Geodiidae Gray, 1867. In: Hooper, J. N. A., & R. W. M. Van Soest (eds) Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges pp. 134–140. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers: New York.

Demospongiae

Darwinella australiensis, photographed by Mark Norman.

Belongs within: Animalia.
Contains: Solenoporaceae, Democlavia, Dictyoceratida, Dysideidae, Chondrillidae.

The Demospongiae is a group of sponges characterised by the presence of spicules composed of silicon dioxide, spongin fibres or a combination of the two. The earliest definite body fossils of the Demospngiae date from the early Cambrian period, though chemical biomarkers suggest a much earlier origin during the Cryogenian (Erwin et al. 2011).

Characters (from Adl et al. 2012): Spongin and siliceous spicules in matrix, sometimes absent; spicules not triaxonic, with hollow triangular canal and four rays, not perpendicular; larva with outer monociliated cells, except at posterior pole.

<==Demospongiae [Cornacuspongida, Demospongea, Hadromerina, Myxospongiae]
    |--Choia carteri EL11, CM98
    `--+--Democlavia EL11
       `--Ceractinomorpha [Ceratellida, Ceratosa] EL11
            |--+--Dictyoceratida B30
            |  `--Dysideidae EL11
            `--+--Verongula EL11
               `--+--Chondrillidae EL11
                  `--Dendroceratida B30
                       |  i. s.: Halisarca B30
                       |--Dictyodendrilla [Dictyodendrillidae] MG-H11
                       `--Darwinellidae MG-H11
                            |--Darwinella australiensis Carter 1885 BJ06
                            `--Dendrilla MG-H11
                                 |--D. lacunosa Hentschel 1912 BJ06
                                 |--D. lendenfeldi Hentschel 1912 BJ06
                                 `--D. mertoni Hentschel 1912 BJ06

Demospongiae incertae sedis:
  Ophlitaspongia seriata Grant 1865 F79
  Rhizaxinella burtoni F79
  Chondrocladia gigantea F79
  Pachymatisma johnstonia F79
  Neofibularia mordens F79
  Synops anceps F79
  Esperiopsis digitata F79
  Verongida MG-H11
    |--Verongia archeri CH97
    |--Suberea [Aplysinellidae] MG-H11
    |--Pseudoceratina [Pseudoceratinidae] MG-H11
    `--Aplysina [Aplysinidae] MG-H11
         `--A. mollis BJ06
              |--A. m. mollis BJ06
              `--A. m. aruensis Hentschel 1912 BJ06
  Ianthella F79
  Lissodendoryx L01
    |--L. firma L01
    `--L. kyma L01
  Aplysilla C-SC03
    |--A. rosacea F79
    `--A. sulfurea C-SC03
  Anthracosyconidae RB04
  Collatipora Finks 1960 RB04
  Solenoporaceae R04
  Euspongia AS12

*Type species of generic name indicated

REFERENCES

[AS12] Adl, S. M., A. G. B. Simpson, C. E. Lane, J. Lukeš, D. Bass, S. S. Bowser, M. W. Brown, F. Burki, M. Dunthorn, V. Hampl, A. Heiss, M. Hoppenrath, E. Lara, E. Le Gall, D. H. Lynn, H. McManus, E. A. D. Mitchell, S. E. Mozley-Stanridge, L. W. Parfrey, J. Pawlowski, S. Rueckert, L. Shadwick, C. L. Schoch, A. Smirnov & F. W. Spiegel. 2012. The revised classification of eukaryotes. Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 59 (5): 429–493.

[BJ06] Barnich, R., & D. Janussen. 2006. Die Typen und Typoide des Naturmuseums Senckenberg, Nr. 86. Type catalogue of the Porifera in the collections of the Senckenberg Museum in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Senckenbergiana Biologica 86 (2): 127–144.

[B30] Bidder, G. P. 1930. On the classification of sponges. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of London 141: 44–47.

[CH97] Castro, P., & M. E. Huber. 1997. Marine Biology 2^nd ed. WCB McGraw-Hill: Boston.

[C-SC03] Cavalier-Smith, T., & E. E.-Y. Chao. 2003. Phylogeny of Choanozoa, Apusozoa, and other Protozoa and early eukaryote megaevolution. Journal of Molecular Evolution 56: 540–563.

[CM98] Conway Morris, S. 1998. The Crucible of Creation. Oxford University Press: Oxford.

[EL11] Erwin, D. H., M. Laflamme, S. M. Tweedt, E. A. Sperling, D. Pisani & K. J. Peterson. 2011. The Cambrian conundrum: early divergence and later ecological success in the early history of animals. Science 334: 1091–1097.

[F79] Fry, W. G. 1979. Taxonomy, the individual and the sponge. In: Larwood, G., & B. R. Rosen (eds) Biology and Systematics of Colonial Organisms pp. 49–80. Academic Press: London.

[L01] Lee, W. L. 2001. Four new species of Forcepia (Porifera, Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida, Coelosphaeridae) from California, and synonymy of Wilsa de Laubenfels, 1930, with Forcepia, Carter, 1874. Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 52 (18): 227–244.

[MG-H11] McEnnulty, F. R., K. L. Gowlett-Holmes, A. Williams, F. Althaus, J. Fromont, G. C. B. Poore, T. D. O'Hara, L. Marsh, P. Kott, S. Slack-Smith, P. Alderslade & M. V. Kitahara. 2011. The deepwater megabenthic invertebrates on the western continental margin of Australia (100–1100 m depths): composition, distribution and novelty. Records of the Western Australian Museum Supplement 80: 1–191.

[R04] Riding, R. 2004. Solenopora is a chaetetid sponge, not an alga. Palaeontology 47: 117–122.

[RB04] Rigby, J. K., & D. W. Boyd. 2004. Sponges from the Park City Formation (Permian) of Wyoming. Journal of Paleontology 78 (1): 71–76.