New shallow-water sponges (Porifera) from the Galápagos Islands
Author
Sim-Smith, Carina
Author
Hickman, Cleveland
0000-0002-2914-4687
hickman.c@rockbridge.net
Author
Kelly, Michelle
0000-0001-9673-0056
elly@niwa.co.nz
text
Zootaxa
2021
2021-08-02
5012
1
1
71
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5012.1.1
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.5012.1.1
1175-5326
5158062
56C6852D-AAE0-4B6B-AB57-919CD62DAEC1
Family
Stelligeridae
Von Lendenfeld, 1898
Genus
Higginsia
Higgin, 1877
Diagnosis.
Growth forms erect, lamellate, massive, vasiform or lobate; surface conulose, papillose, often silt covered or membraneous. Choanosomal skeleton predominantly with an elaborate system of bundles of megascleres, although skeletal structure ranges from halichondroid with a partially compressed, reticulate axis, and an irregularly plumo-reticulate extra-axial region (
Higginsia
), a compressed axis and a radial, non-plumose extra-axial region (
Dendropsis
), to a lax plumose or plumo-reticulate structure, without axial compression or regional differentiation of the skeleton (
Desmoxya
); spongin fibres usually poorly developed although heavy collagen forms the mesohyl, usually with numerous megascleres and microscleres scattered between main skeletal tracts; all skeletal tracts cored by robust oxeas and/or styles, or sometimes modified further to strongylote megascleres with bifurcated points. Ectosome with a protruding extra-axial skeleton composed of longer oxeas and/or styles of 1–3 sizes. Microscleres spined, centrangulate curved or straight microxeas, and sometimes also raphides occurring singly or in bundles (trichodragmata) (from
Hooper 2002a
).