Marine Biodiversity » Marine Sponges » Calcarea » Calcarea Classification » Subclass Calcaronea

Definition: Encrusting, lobate, tubular, sac-shaped, ovoid, spherical, vase-shaped and many other growth forms, either solitary or grouped and sessile, substipitate, or stipitate; surface with a distinct dermal cortex and a proper cortical skeleton of tangential radiates, sometimes supplemented by, and occasionally replaced by, oxeas; ectosomal cortex sometimes with quadriradiates in association with choanosomal triradiates; skeleton of the chamber layer ranging from regularly articulate to irregularly scattered, and typically with subgastral sagittal radiates; some subdermal pseudosagittal triradiates may occur but these are derived from normal choanosomal spicules, and do not form a continuous distict layer as in the Heteropiidae; subgastral quadriradiates, if present, always associated with chamber-layer skeleton containing confused triradiates; nuclei of collared cells probably always apical; choanocyte chambers asconoid, elongate and radially arranged, or small, spherical and irregularly scattered in the choanosome (leuconoid).

Scope: This family contains 80 generic names, of which 21 are recognised here.

Reviews: Lendenfeld (1885d, 1885m), Dendy (1893a), Dendy & Row (1913), Tanita (1943), Borojevic (1966).

Genera:
Amphiute Hanitsch, 1894 (type species: Amphiute paulini Hanitsch, 1894) - tubular, solitary or compound, apical oscule with fringe; ectosomal skeleton of large longitudinally arranged oxeas, microxeas set at right angles to surface, a tangential layer of triradiates and paired rays of subectosomal pseudosagittal triradiates; tubar skeleton of basal rays of subectosomal pseudosagittal triradiates and subgastral sagittal triradiates; choanosomal skeleton of paired rays of subectosomal sagittal triradiates and a tangential layer of large oxeas and choanosomal quadriradiates (Burton, 1963).
Anamixilla Poléjaeff, 1884 (type species: Anamixilla torresi Poléjaeff, 1884) - colonial tubular, apical oscule; ectosomal skeleton a tangential layer of triradiates; tubar skeleton of centrifugally-directed basal rays of subgastral sagittal triradiates, with irregularly arranged tubar triradiates; choanosomal skeleton of paired rays of subgastral sagittal triradiates and a tangential layer of triradiates and quadriradiates (Burton, 1963).
Aphroceras Gray, 1858 (type species: Grantia ensata Bowerbank, 1858) (syn. Leucogypsia Bowerbank, 1864; Cyathiscus Haeckel, 1870; Leucandrena Haeckel, 1872; Artynandrus Haeckel, 1872) - tubular, elongate, apical oscule; skeleton of chamber layer ranging from more or less confused to articulate, with subgastral or other sagittal radiates; ectosomal skeleton of tangentially placed triradiates supplemented typically by colossal oxeas placed longitudinally, or less commonly projecting from the surface (Burton, 1963).
Ebnerella Lendenfeld, 1891 (type species: Ebnerella schulzei Breitfuss, 1898) - with syconoid organisation; choanosomal skeleton reduced to the unpaired actine of the subatrial spicules; cortex devoid of longitudinal diactines (Borojevic, Boury-Esnault & Vacelet, in prep.).
Eilhardia Poléjaeff, 1884 (type species: Eilhardia schulzei Poléjaeff, 1884) - solitary cup-shaped, stipitate, sub-papillate oscules on outer surface of cup only; with large triradiates irregularly arranged in chamber layer, large triradiates and oxeotes in the ectosomal layer, with a tangential layer of smaller radiates, and with microxeas or trichodragmata scattered in one or other of principal layers (Burton, 1963).
Grantia Fleming, 1828 (type species: Spongia compressa Fabricius, 1780) (syn. Sycortis Haeckel, 1872; Sycortusa Haeckel, 1872; Vosmaeria Lendenfeld, 1885; Dermatreton Jenkin, 1908; Teichonopsis Dendy & Row, 1913; Paragrantia Hozawa, 1940) - solitary, sac-shaped, laterally compressed, hispid, apical or marginal oscule; ectosomal skeleton a tangential layer of triradiates, with tufts of oxeas projecting beyond surface; tubar skeleton of centripetally-directed basal rays of subgastral sagittal triradiates and numerous rows of tubar triradiates; choanosomal skeleton of paired rays of subgastral triradiates and a tangential layer of choanosomal triradiates and quadriradiates (Burton, 1963).
Hypograntia Carter, 1886 (type species: Hypograntia infrequens Carter, 1886) (syn. Grantiopsis Dendy, 1893; Hippograntia Breitfuss, 1898) - tubular, roughened, apical oscule; with ectosomal cortex as thick as the chamber layer, with many layers of tangential triradiates; tubar skeleton articulate, composed of the basal rays of subgastral quadriradiates with which are associated sagittal triradiates practically reduced to the basal ray by suppression of the paired rays; choanosomal skeleton of the paired and apical rays of the subgastral quadriradiates together with a tangential layer of choanosomal quadriradiates; without colossal longitudinal oxeotes (Burton, 1963).
Jenkina Brondsted, 1931 (type species: Jenkina cirrata (Jenkin, 1908)) - with a sylleibid or leuconoid organisation; choanosomal skeleton reduced to the unpaired actine of subatrial spicules; cortex without longitudinal diactines (Borojevic, Boury-Esnault & Vacelet, in prep.).
Lamontia Kirk, 1894 (type species: Lamontia zona Kirk, 1894) - tubular, hispid, apical oscule with fringed margin; pores in special area usually subterminal equatorial, but may be irregular longitudinal; skeleton of chamber layer consisting of small scatterd oxeotes; ectosomal cortex with triradiates in addition to oxeotes; choanosomal quadriradiates present; sponge consisting of a single olynthus with a specialised pore-zone below the terminal vent (Burton, 1963).
Leucandra Haeckel, 1872 (type species: Leucandra egedii (Schmidt, 1870) - with a leuconoid organisation; internal diactines go through the cortex and keep their free part outside the sponge (Borojevic, Boury-Esnault & Vacelet, in prep.).
Leuconia Grant, 1832 (type species: Spongia nivea Grant, 1826) (syn. Medon Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864; Sycinula Schmidt, 1868; Dyssyconella Haeckel, 1870; Dyssycum Haeckel, 1870; Coenostomella Haeckel, 1870; Dyssiconella Wright, 1870; Leucortis Haeckel, 1872; Leucaltaga Haeckel, 1872; Mlea Haeckel, 1872; Leucandraga Haeckel, 1872; Leucandrusa Haeckel, 1872; Dyssycarium Haeckel, 1872; Coenostomium Haeckel, 1872; Dyssycortus Haeckel, 1872; Dyssycandrus Haeckel, 1872; Dysscaltella Haeckel, 1872; Dyssycandrella Haeckel, 1872; Dyssycandrium Haeckel, 1872; Lipostomaltis Haeckel, 1872; Lipostomandra Haeckel, 1872; Lipostomortis Haeckel, 1872; Amphoriscandra Haeckel, 1872; Amphoricortis Haeckel, 1872; Amphoriulandra Haeckel, 1872; Amphoriidandra Haeckel, 1872; Coenostomandra Haeckel, 1872; Coenostomandium Haeckel, 1872; Coenostomellium Haeckel, 1872; Coenostomortis Haeckel, 1872; Artynandrium Haeckel, 1872; Artynellandra Haeckel, 1872; Artynortus Haeckel, 1872; Aphrocerandra Haeckel, 1872; Aphrocerortis Haeckel, 1872; Leucortmetra Haeckel, 1872; Leucania Lendenfeld, 1885; Dyssicarium Delage, 1899) - encrusting, smooth surface, small scattered oscules; friable texture; ectosomal skeleton of several tangential layers of triradiates; skeleton of chamber layer supported by large irregularly scattered radiates and diacts (microxeas) irregularly arranged; choanosomal skeleton and linings of exhalant canals a tangential layer of sagittal quadriradiates (Burton, 1963).
Leucopsila Dendy & Row, 1913 (type species: Leuconia stilifera Schmidt, 1870) - tubular, laterally compressed, single or colonial, apical oscule with thin undulating margin; smooth conulose or even surface; soft texture; ectosomal skeleton of several layers of tangential triradiates with numerous microxeas; skeleton of chamber layer a confused mass of microxeas with large quadriradiates scattered between; choanosomal skeleton a dense layer of microxeas (Burton, 1963).
Leucyssa Haeckel, 1872 (type species: Leucyssa spongilla Haeckel, 1872) - clathrate mass of anastomosing tubes; even surface, non-hispid; apical oscules with strongly fringed margins; skeleton of body of oxeas only, with larger oxeas surrounding oscules (Burton, 1963).
Paraleucilla Dendy, 1892 (type species: Leucandra cucumis Haeckel, 1872) - ovate body, even surface, non-hispid, apical oscules, naked or fringed margins; ectosomal skeleton a tangential layer of triradiates and oxeas; subectosomal skeleton of two layers of quadriradiates with apical rays oppositely directed; skeleton of chamber layer of scattered quadriradiates; choanosomal skeleton a tangential layer of triradiates (Burton, 1963).
Sycophractus Haeckel, 1872 (syn. Sycurandra Haeckel, 1872; Ute, of authors) (type species: Ute glabra Schmidt, 1864) - [based on S. spenceri (Dendy, 1892:94): spherical or subspherical; uneven surface, roughened, apical oscule; firm; ectosomal skeleton of longitudinal oxeas, tangential triradiates and groups of microxeas; skeleton of chamber layer of an outer tubar skeleton of triradiates and an inner irregular layer of triradiates and quadriradiates of exhalant canals; choanosomal skeleton of several tangential layers of quadriradiates, and sparsely scattered microxeas (Burton, 1963).
Sycute Dendy & Row, 1913 (type species: Sycon dendyi Kirk, 1895) - tubular, hispid surface in tufts; apical oscule with fringed margin; ectosomal skeleton of longitudinally placed oxeas, with tufts of small oxeas; skeleton of chamber layer of triradiates; choanosomal skeleton of quadriradiates (Burton, 1963).
Sycyssa Haeckel, 1872 (type species: Sycyssa huxleyi Haeckel, 1872) - oval, even surface strongly hispid; apical oscule with fringed margin; ectosomal skeleton a tangential layer of oxeas, with a palisade of oxeas set at right angles to the surface, and with large oxeas projecting beyond; skeleton of chamber layer of proximal parts of large oxeas; choanosomal skeleton a tangential layer of oxeas and a subgastral layer of large oxeas (Burton, 1963).
Synute Dendy, 1892 (type species: Synute pulchella Dendy, 1892) - with a cormus constituted by completely fused units with a syconoid organisation, surrounded by a common cortex with a skeleton of giant longitudinal diactines (Borojevic, Boury-Esnault & Vacelet, in prep.).
Teichenopsis Dendy & Row, 1913 (type species: Teichonella labyrinthica Carter, 1878) - caliculate growth form when small, becoming infundibular and compressed, to lamellate and much folded, stipitate in all but early stages; even surface, non-hispid; oscules small and numerous on inner surface; texture firm and brittle; ectosomal skeleton of several layers of triradiates, with microxeas set at right angles to surface; tubar skeleton of sugastral sagittal triradiates and numerous rows of tubar triradiates; choanosomal skeleton of paired rays of subgastral triradiates, a tangential layer of quadriradiates and microxeas set at right angles to surface (Burton, 1963).
Trichogypsia Carter, 1871 (type species: Trichogypsia villosa Carter, 1871) (syn. Dyssycyssus Haeckel, 1872; Amphoriscyssa Haeckel, 1872; Aphroceryssa Haeckel, 1872; Sycolepis Lendenfeld, 1885) - encrusting to irregular massive growth forms; surface uneven, irregular, minutely hispid; oscules small, scattered; with skeleton composed entirely of distally spined diactines (oxeas) only; canal system leuconoid (Burton, 1963).
Ute Schmidt, 1862 (type species: Ute glabra Schmidt, 1864) - with leuconoid organisation; cortex sustained by giant longitudinal diactines; choanosomal skeleton articulated; no radial fascicules of diactines (Borojevic, Boury-Esnault & Vacelet, in prep.).
Uteopsis Dendy & Row, 1913 (type species: Ute argentea Poléjaeff, 1883) - solitary, tubular, substipitate; smooth surface, striated; apical oscule; firm texture; ectosomal cortex well developed, with skeleton composed of triradiates and containing oxeotes and microxeas arranged tangentially; tubar skeleton of centrifugally-directed basal rays of subgastral sagittal triradiates, tubar quadradiates and bundles of distally directed oxeas; choanosomal skeleton of paired rays of subgastral sagittal triradiates, an inner layer of choanosomal triradiates and quadriradiates, and an outer layer of choanosomal quadriradiates, with microxeas irregularly scattered (Burton, 1963).