Sponges Research Papers - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

A phylogenetic revision of the poecilosclerid Microcionidae is based on type material, the worldwide literature, and comprehensive Australian collections. Of 73 available generic names 7 genera and 12 subgenera are recognised here. Of 561 available species names 459 are considered valid (10 virtually unrecognisable), including 52 new species. The Australian fauna, including Australian Antarctic Territory, contains 148 species (31 new), many new records, most are new combinations, and many illustrated for the first time. A synonymy of world species is provided. Valid taxa include: Clathria (with 7 subgenera: C. (Clathria) (with 31 Australian species, 82 other species worldwide, with new species murphyi, noarlungae, biclathrata, borealis, burtoni , sarai, saraspinifera), C. (Wilsonella) (6, 8, abrolhosensis, ensiae, lindgreni spp. nov.), C. (Microciona) (5, 91, illawarrae, lizardensis, simae, brondstedi, campecheae, claudei, hen tscheli, leighensis, stephensae, tunisiae, urizae, vacelettia spp. nov.), C. (Dendrocia) (7 species endemic to Australia), C. (Axociella) (6, 6, patula , fromontae, georgiaensis spp. nov.), C. (Isociella) (4, 1, selachia, skia spp. nov.), and C. (Thalysias) (36, 53, aphylla, craspedia, darwinensis, fusterna, hallmanni, hesperia, lematolae, phorbasiformis, styloprothesis, tin gens, wesselensis, amiranteiensis, hechteli spp. nov.); Antho (with 3 subgenera: A. (Antho) (12, 10), A. (Plocamia) (2, 17) and A. (Isopeneclya) (3,1, punicea, saintvincenti spp. nov.); Echinoclathria (14, 15, bergquistae, levii, notialis, parkeri, riddlei spp. nov.); Holopsamma (9 species endemic to Australia, 1 indeterminate species); Echinochalina (with 2 subgenera: E. (Echinochalina) (10, 2, felixi sp. nov.), E. (Protophlitaspongia) (8 species endemic to Australia and New Caledonia, collata, favulosa, isaaci, tuberosa spp. nov.)); Artemisina (4, 10); and Pandaros (incertae sedis) (0, 2). Generic keys are provided. Morphometric characters of primary importance include the origin, geometry and distribution of structural megascleres within the skeleton, modification of megascleres to monactinal or diactinal forms, the presence or absence of a specialised ectosomal skeleton, presence of detritus incorporated into spongin fibres, and overall skeletal structure (including compression of the axial skeleton and differentiation of axial and extra-axial regions). Brief zoogeographical comparisons are made between continental Australian and adjacent Indo-west Pacific faunas. Australian species comprise about 32% of the world's microcionid diversity; about 75% of species are endemic for the Australian region, and temperate species (81%) have higher levels of endemism than tropical species (59%).