Johannesia, Gerasimova, Elena, Erpenbeck, Dirk & Plotkin, Alexander, 2008

Gerasimova, Elena, Erpenbeck, Dirk & Plotkin, Alexander, 2008, Vosmaeria Fristedt, 1885 (Porifera, Demospongiae, Halichondriidae): revision of species, phylogenetic reconstruction and evidence for split, Zootaxa 1694, pp. 1-37 : 18-19

Johannesia gen. nov.

Type species: Vosmaeria reticulosa Thiele, 1905 (designation herein).

Diagnosis:

Massive sponges. Surface smooth. Oscula and ostia scattered on the surface. Ostia connected with large subectosomal cavities. Choanosomal skeleton constructed by the tracts of (sub)tylostyles running from sponge base to the surface. Free (sub)tylostyles and oxeas scattered in the choanosome between the principal tracts. Ectosomal skeleton an irregular network composed by the diverging principal tracts intercrossed by oxeas and (sub)tylostyles.

Etymology: the genus is named in honour of Johannes Thiele who had described the type species. We used the first name of Thiele because the generic name Thieleia has been already occupied by Burton (1932).