Tulearinia Vacelet, 1977

Borojevic, Radovan, Boury-Esnault, Nicole & Vacelet, Jean, 2000, A revision of the supraspecific classification of the subclass Calcaronea (Porifera, class Calcarea), Zoosystema 22 (2), pp. 203-263 : 258

Genus Tulearinia Vacelet, 1977

TYPE SPECIES. — Tulearinia stylifera Vacelet, 1977 by monotypy.

DIAGNOSIS. — Minchinellidae (?) with a basal skeleton consisting of tetractines with basal actines that are interwoven but are not cemented, and with underlying layers of triactines linked in the same way.

DESCRIPTION

This genus may represent the first step in the process of the spicule linkage that is characteristic of Minchinellidae ( Fig. 52 ). However, its inclusion in this family is questionable because the actine tips are only slightly modified, and true zygosis and diapasons are absent.

Figures

FIG. 52. — Diagram of dissociated spicules of Tulearinia stylifera Vacelet, 1977 (light micrograph); A, superficial diactines; B, microdiactines; C, perioscular triactines; D, triactines; E, tetractines from the basal network; F, tetractine from canals. Scale bars: A, D, E, 50 µm; B, C, 15 µm; F, 20 µm (from Vacelet 1977).