Marine Biodiversity » Marine Sponges » Calcarea » Calcarea Classification » Subclass Calcinea

Definition: Cormus composed of a central tube, sometimes ramified, and diverticuli isolated or grouped in clusters; skeleton of central and radial tubes composed of regular equiradiate and equiangular spicules; skeleton of diverticuli composed of regular and/or parasagittal spicules always clearly distinct from spicules composing the skeleton of the central tube; choanoderm either lines all the central cavity or is restricted to the diverticuli.

Scope: Two genera are included.

Rewies: Borojevic et al. (1990).

Genera:
Levinella Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986 (type species: Levinella thalassae Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986) - with a cormus divided into a central tube and external diverticuli; central tube not ramified; choanoderm lines all internal cavities (Borojevic et al., 1990); spicules are equiangular tetractines in the central tube organised in parallel rows, equiangular and equiradiate tetractines and less common triactines of the diverticula, and slightly curved diactines (Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986). GBR species: Levinella prolifera (Dendy, 1913).
Burtonella Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986 (type species: Burtonella sibogae Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986) - with central tube ramified; choanoderm limited to external diverticuli (Borojevic et al., 1990); spicules are equiangular and equiradiate triactines and tetractines with short basal actine in the central tube and lateral walls, equiangular and equiradiate triactines and tetractines with rudimentary apical actine lining the diverticula (Borojevic & Boury-Esnault, 1986).