New Genus and species of Heteroxyidae from Brazil (Axinellida: Demospongiae: Porifera), with a revised identification key for the family.
Alveospongia sinuosclera gen. nov. sp. nov. is described from shallow-waters off Canavieiras (Bahia, Brazil). The species bears an unusual morphology, combining saccular or alveolar, evenly perforated habit, and sinuous spiny microrhabdose microscleres. This sponge is tentatively classified within the Heteroxyidae Dendy (1905), on the basis of its confused choanosomal architecture of styles, and possession of spiny microrhabdose microscleres. Assays to generate DNA sequences from this material were unsuccessful. We emended the diagnosis of the family to include species bearing saccular/alveolar shape, microrhabdose acanthomicrostrongyles and styles/strongyles with modifications at the ends. The proposed new genus is compared to the remaining heteroxyid genera, as well as Crella (Crellidae), Batzella (Chondropsidae), Goreauiella (Astroscleridae) and Sceptrintus (Podospongiidae). A revised key for identification of Heteroxyidae genera is provided.
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Nelson Chaves, s/n Cidade Universitária CEP 50373-970, Recife, PE, Brazil; Email: unknown.
George Garcia
GG
Santos
Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências Biológicas, Departamento de Zoologia, Av. Nelson Chaves, s/n Cidade Universitária CEP 50373-970, Recife, PE, Brazil; Email: uspinheiro@hotmail.com.
Ulisses
U
Pinheiro
Museu Nacional, Departamento de Invertebrados, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Quinta da Boa Vista, s/n, 20940-040, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Email: unknown.
Eduardo
E
Hajdu
Naturalis Biodiversity Centre, P.O. Box 9517, Leiden 2300 RA, the Netherlands; Email: unknown.
Rob Van
RV
Soest
D063147:Animal Distribution; D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D001938:Brazil; D009929:Organ Size; D011161:Porifera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development