New species of Raspailiidae (Porifera:
Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from
southeast Queensland
John N.A. HOOPER
Patricia SUTCLIFFE
Monika A. SCHLACHER- HOENLINGER
Biodiversity Program, Queensland Museum, PO Box 3300, South Brisbane, Qld, 4101,
Australia. Email: john.hooper@qm.qld.gov.au.
Citation: Hooper, J.N.A., Sutcliffe, P. & Schlacher-Hoenlinger, M.A. 2008 12 01. New species of
Raspailiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from southeast Queensland. In, Davie,
P.J.F. & Phillips, J.A. (Eds), Proceedings of the Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop,
The Marine Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay, Queensland. Memoirs of the Queensland Museum —
Nature 54(1): 1–22. Brisbane. ISSN 0079-8835.
ABSTRACT
Extensive surveys of the marine benthos throughout tropical Australasia over the past two
decades have revealed a large number of sponge species, most of which appear to be new
to science. Even in the comparatively well-known Moreton Bay region, we discovered four
new species belonging to three genera of the family Raspailiidae, and also increased the number
of known species living in this area from three to eleven, in some cases greatly increasing
their known distributional range. Other new extralimital records of these species are provided,
as is a revised checklist of the Australian raspailiid fauna. q Porifera, Demospongiae,
Poecilosclerida, Microcionina, Raspailiidae, Raspailia, Aulospongus, Ceratopsion, Sollasella,
Echinodictyum, new species, taxonomy, species check list, Moreton Bay, Queensland.
Over the past decade our knowledge of the
tropical Australian sponge fauna has increased
substantially thanks to several major benthic
surveys (e.g. http://www.reeffutures.org/topics/
biodiversity/seafloor_second.cfm), and biodiscovery programs, searching for new compounds
from nature with potential pharmaceutical properties (e.g. Quinn et al. 2002). These surveys
have primarily focussed on Queensland waters
including the coast, coral reefs and the interreef regions of the Great Barrier Reef, to the
adjacent ‘sea mounts’ and off-shore reefs in the
Coral Sea, and the Gulf of Carpentaria (e.g.
Hooper et al. 2002). Prior to these surveys about
430 species had been described from these regions
(Hooper & Wiedenmayer 1994), but since then
over two thousand morphospecies have been
collected, many thought to be new to science.
Amongst the families of Porifera, the family
Raspailiidae is moderately diverse, within the
class Demospongiae, containing 20 valid genera
(one incertae sedis), seven subgenera, and approximately 250 named species worldwide, mainly
from shallow waters and a few from abyssal
depths (Hooper 2002; and literature therein).
From this growing body of literature the Australian raspailiid fauna was assumed to be
relatively well known, including a comprehensive
taxonomic monograph (Hooper 1991), several
subsequent papers on Australian and western
Pacific islands faunas (Hooper & Lévi 1993;
Hooper et al. 1999; Van Soest et al. 2006), several
more dealing with other aspects of their biodiversity (Hooper & Lévi 1994; Hooper et al. 2000),
and a synthesis of the family’s systematic relationships and their morphological characteristics
(Hooper 2002). Together these contributions have
described a fauna of 59 species from Australian
waters (including territorial seas) up to the present time, but only three species were previously
recorded from the Moreton Bay region (Hooper
1991; Hooper & Lévi 1993; Van Soest et al. 2006).
Memoirs Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1) www.qm.qld.gov.au
1
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
Recent collections since the publication of Hooper
(1991), particularly the comprehensive collection effort in 2005 during the ‘Thirteenth International Marine Biological Workshop - The Marine
Fauna and Flora of Moreton Bay’, revealed another eight species of raspailiids living in this
supposedly well known Moreton Bay fauna,
including four new species described here.
Moreton Bay, including faunas inside the Bay
and on the oceanic side of North Stradbroke
and Moreton Islands, contains some of the most
ecologically diverse environments on the east
coast of Australia and a rich biota living in a
biogeographic transition zone between tropical
and temperate influences (Davie & Hooper 1998).
Being adjacent to Brisbane (population circa 2
million) the area is probably under immense
urban pressure, yet the fauna continues to reveal
new discoveries despite many decades of collection effort. This present paper describes new
species and records of the family Raspailiidae
from this region, and an updated checklist of
raspailiid species from Australia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens were collected by SCUBA, trawls
and scientific dredges, and are housed in the
collections of the Queensland Museum. Only
new material, published since the earlier revision of Australian Raspailiidae (Hooper 1991), is
recorded here and readers are referred to that
earlier publication for a full listing of examined
material. Specimens were prepared for light
and SEM microscopy using the usual methods
(e.g. Hooper & Van Soest 2006). Spicule measurements are based on 30 spicules of each category
and denoted as ranges (and means) of length x
width. The systematic assignment follows the
‘Systema Porifera’ (Hooper & Van Soest 2002).
Abbreviations used in the text: AIMS, Australian
Institute of Marine Science; CSIRO, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation; GBR, Great Barrier Reef, Queensland,
Australia; NSW, New South Wales; NT, Northern
Territory; NTM, Northern Territory Museum;
Qld, Queensland; QM, Queensland Museum;
WA, Western Australia.
SYSTEMATICS
Phylum Porifera Grant, 1836
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Class Demospongiae Sollas, 1885
Order Poecilosclerida Topsent, 1928
Suborder Microcionina Hajdu,
Van Soest & Hooper, 1994
Family Raspailiidae Nardo, 1833
Raspeliae Nardo, 1833.
Raspailiae Nardo, 1847.
Raspailiidae Hentschel, 1923.
Euryponidae Topsent, 1928.
Definition. Microcionina with a special category
of smaller ectosomal styles, oxeas or anisoxeas
forming discrete bouquets around the protruding larger styles or oxeas.
Remarks. Raspailiids are currently assigned to
the Poecilosclerida but lack the primary apomorphy (chelae microscleres) of this order. They are
assigned to the Microcionina based on similarities in morphological and some chemical features with the family Microcionidae in particular
(refer to the synthesis provided by Hooper 2002).
Genera are differentiated mainly on the basis of
three morphological characters: (a) skeletal architecture ranging from axial compression to reticulate, plumo-reticulate or plumose skeletons;
(b) the presence or absence of a specialised ectosomal skeleton (apomorphic for the family, whereby brushes of small ectosomal megascleres surround long protruding single choanosomal megascleres); and (c) geometric modifications to echinating megascleres. Full synonymies and diagnoses of all higher taxa are provided by Hooper
(2002), with recent additions by Van Soest et al.
(2006).
Subfamily Raspailiinae Nardo, 1833
Raspailia Nardo, 1833
Definition. Raspailiidae with a more-or-less compressed axial skeleton and a radial, plumose or
simply reticulate extra-axial skeleton, with choanosomal spicules consisting of two, three or more
different size classes (styles and/or oxeas), and
echinating acanthostyles microcionid-like or secondarily modified.
Raspailia (Raspailia) Nardo, 1833
Definition. Raspailia with microcionid-like acanthostyles, myxillid-like acanthostyles or thin
vestigial acanthostyles.
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
FIG. 1. Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov. (holotype QM-G315208). A, Echinating acanthostyles (scale
bar 50 mm). B, Choanosomal style (scale bar 200 mm). C, Choanosomal styles (scale bar 200 mm). D,
Ectosomal styles (scale bar 200 mm). E, Subectosomal style (scale bar 500 mm). F, SEM of skeletal
structure, showing the axially compressed choanosome and radial subectosomal megascleres. G,
SEM of ectosome, showing arrangement of ectosomal styles, radial echination of choanosomal
styles and reticulation of choanosomal styles. H, Holotype (scale bar 2cm).
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
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Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov.
(Figs 1, 2A, 8A, Table 1)
Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: QM-G315208, Green I.,
Moreton Bay, Qld, 27°25.5’S., 153°13.5’E., 4 m,
16.03.1999, coll. Marine Parks impoundment.
Habitat and Distribution. Coral rubble, 4 m
depth range. So far known only from the type
locality in Moreton Bay (Fig. 2A).
Description. Shape. Small arborescent sponge,
approximately 5cm high, resembling a straw
broom, with a dense crown of erect, flattened
branches, many bifurcating several times at their
tips. Branches occur in more than one plane
giving a shrub-like appearance. Stalk is 1.8 cm
long, 35–55 mm diameter, slightly flattened,
firm, with basal holdfast. Branching occurs multiple times and occasionally fuses again towards
the top. At the first bifurcation from the stalk
the diameter ranges from 4–5 mm. When smaller
branches (1.5–3 mm diameter) arise from this
common base, they usually divide again 2–3
times, however they retain a similar width (23.5
mm) to the first branch. All branches are flattened
equally, and range in thickness from 0.7–1 mm.
Colour. Deep red on deck, beige when preserved.
Oscules. Not observed.
Texture and surface characteristics. Firm but easily
torn, slightly rubbery with flexible branches.
Surface regular but very hispid.
Ectosome and subectosome. Ectosome exceptionally hispid as a result of protruding megascleres of several different categories, Subectosomal styles protrude through the surface up to
2 mm from the ectosome, in regular but sparse
intervals. Shorter choanosomal styles protrude
for only a small distance (<0.25 mm) through
the ectosome but form a dense palisade-like
surface layer. Ectosomal styles form a multispicular tangential layer arranged in tangential
bundles around the point of insertion of subectosomal styles through the surface. Ectosome
and subectosomal regions contain a well developed light brown layer of collagen in contrast to
the choanosome which has only a very lightly
collagenous mesohyl.
Choanosome. Choanosomal skeleton is axially
compressed, consisting of a dense reticulation
of choanosomal styles with only very few echinating acanthosyles visible. The choanosomal skele-
4
ton is dense and homogenous throughout the
entire section (1.4–2.8 mm x 0.4–0.6 mm), surrounded by a subectosomal region ranging from
0.05–0.25 mm thick. Fibres are not well developed and mesohyl is clear, homogenous and
lightly collagenous.
Megascleres (refer to Table 1 for dimensions).
Ectosomal styles are very fine, sinuous, with
evenly rounded bases and sharp points.
Subectosomal styles are very long, thin, usually
sinuous, some with very slight subtylote swelling at the base but most evenly rounded bases.
Choanosomal styles are robust, curved at the
centre or towards the basal end, most with sharply
tapering points but some are slightly telescoped.
Echinating acanthostyles typically have a flattened, only slightly swollen base bearing several
recurved spines arising at the very base of the
shaft and forming a small clump. Spination along
the shaft is very sparse, with a regular continuation of spines extending into the midsection,
leaving the point bare. Spines with recurved
hooks (3–4 mm long).
Remarks. Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov. is
similar to R. (R.) gracilis (Lendenfeld) in gross
morphology but differs in most other details
(see Hooper 1991: 1206, Fig. 10). Conversely,
despite differences in gross morphology R. (R.)
scorpa is most similar to R. (R.) phakellopsis Hooper
from the NT and northern WA in its skeletal
structure and spicule composition, including
the characteristic pattern of spination on echinating acanthostyles. In both species the subectosomal and choanosomal styles radiate in a similar fashion from the densely reticulate axial
skeleton. However, the species clearly differ: R.
(R.) scorpa has ectosomal styles (versus oxeas in
R. phakellopsis), fewer and more robust and more
recurved spines on the acanthostyles, and in the
specific dimensions of most megascleres. Raspailia
phakellopsis also has flattened convoluted leaflike branches superficially resembling blades of
brown alga (Hooper 1991), in contrast the straw
broom-shaped growth form of the present species.
There is also a contrasting arrangement of ectosomal styles, with R. (R.) scorpa having tangential bundles surrounding the protruding subectosomal styles, differing from R. phakellopsis which
has erect bouquets or brushes typical of many
raspailiids.
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
So far this species is known only from a single
specimen from Moreton Bay, despite extensive
surveys of the benthic faunas both north and
south of this locality over the past decade. It is
clearly a sister-species of Raspailia phakellopsis,
which has a recorded distribution from Darwin,
NT, and the Northwest Shelf, WA, both representing another example of east-coast/west- coast
sister species pairs (Hooper 1991).
Etymology.This species is named for its broomshaped gross morphology (L., scorpa, thin twigs,
broom).
Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov.
(Figs 2A, 3, 8B–C, Table 2)
Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: QM-G317177, Moreton
Bay, off Toondah Harbour, Cleveland, Qld, 27°30.5’S,
153°18.1’E, 8 m, 2.viii.2000, J.A. Kennedy & T. Wassenberg.
Habitat and Distribution. The type specimen
was collected from a seawater intake grate at a
depth of 8 m. So far known only from the type
locality in Moreton Bay (Fig. 2A).
Description. Shape. Large arborescent sponge
on a single erect stalk (30 mm long) with round
basal holdfast (13 mm diameter). First branching from the stalk is in one plane, with total
branch span 15 cm wide. Numerous erect branches arise from the primary branches in the
same plane and spread in one direction only.
This may be as a direct result of the constricting
sponge habitat (found growing on a grate and
thus restricted in direction of growth). Branches
separate many times in an irregular pattern and
occasionally fuse again, creating a dense flattened
shrub-like morphology. There appears to be no
distinct pattern for fusion of branches except for
proximity of branch growth. Branches have small
forked distal tips. Branches vary in length, with
the largest 12 cm long, and slightly flattened (25–54
x 21–42 mm). Total sponge height is 15cm.
Colour. Dark mauve-brown alive, darkening
in air, and very dark brown in ethanol. Stains
ethanol a light brown colour upon preservation.
Oscules. Minute (<1 mm) sparsely scattered
along the sides of branches.
Texture and surface characteristics. Branches are
flexible and compressible with a velvety feel,
and easily torn. Surface is very hispid. The main
stalk is very firm, almost woody, and not flexible.
Ectosome and subectosome. Dense bouquets of
small ectosomal styles or anisoxeas protrude
through the surface at regular intervals surrounding single large subectosomal styles, the latter
protruding between 320–700 mm from the surface, visible with the naked eye and creating a
very hispid surface. The subectosomal region
has a layer of darkly pigmented layer of collagen
(200–450 mm).
Choanosome. Strong axial compression with
multispicular primary tracts of choanosomal styles.
Secondary tracts usually lack spicules and consist
only of spongin fibres, or some secondary tracts
are unispicular. There is a high proportion of
acanthostyles regularly echinating the primary
tracts, and fibres are well developed and darkly
pigmented.
Megascleres (refer to Table 2 for dimensions).
Structural choanosomal styles are uniform and
slightly curved at the centre, with evenly rounded bases and tapering to sharp points.
Subectosomal styles are long and thin, with
evenly rounded bases, tapering sharp points, and
slightly curved at centre or towards basal end.
Ectosomal styles or anisoxeas are short, very
thin, straight or very slightly curved and difficult
to see using light microscopy.
Echinating acanthostyles are short and robust, slightly subtylote bases, with small spines
concentrated around the tip and covering the
basal tyle and the neck of the shaft ranges from
bare to lightly covered in short spines. Spines
are erect near the basal end and slightly recurved
towards the point, about 2 mm long,
Remarks. Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov.
is typical of the genus in its spicule composition
and skeletal structure. The species is similar in
shape (spiky surface, arborescent and multiple
bifurcate branching, darkly pigmented) and ectosomal structure to Raspailia vestigifera Dendy
from northern, northwest and central west Australia (see Hooper, 1991: 1215). Ectosomal brushes
in both species are typically raspailiid, consisting
of very fine styles (some verging on anisoxeas),
forming bouquets around protruding single long
subectosomal styles. The choanosomal region,
however, is better developed in R. (R.) kennedyi,
with multispicular primary tracts radiating to
the surface and secondary spongin or unispic-
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
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Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
FIG. 2. Maps of wider distributions of Raspailia species found in Moreton Bay. A, R. (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov.
and R. (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov. B, R. (Raspaxilla) compressa. C, R. (Parasyringella) australiensis. D, Aulospongus
similiaustralis sp. nov.
ular tracts of styles. Moreover, the choanosomal
megascleres of R. vestigifera are strongylote and
the species characteristically has few echinating
acanthostyles, differing significantly from R. (R.)
kennedyi.
Etymology. This species is named in appreciation of Mr John Kennedy, collector of the only
known specimen of this species, and in recognition of his long and highly productive contributions to sponge biology at the QM.
Raspailia (Raspaxilla) Topsent, 1913
Definition. Raspailia with echinating rhabdostyles geometrically very different from the
usually longer choanosomal styles (the latter
without any basal rhabd); extra-axial styles forming a radial skeleton perpendicular to the axis;
and well differentiated axial and extra-axial skele-
6
tons (the former compressed, the latter plumoreticulate and/or radial).
Raspailia (Raspaxilla) compressa
Bergquist, 1970
(Fig. 2B, 8D)
Raspailia compressa Bergquist, 1970: 29–30, text-fig.
3a, pls 7b, 11a.
Raspailia (Raspaxilla) compressa — Hooper, 1991: 1245–1248,
figs 32–33, table 6.
Material Examined. QM-G304878, South side Mudjimba I., off Mooloolaba, Qld, 26°37.02’S, 153°6.15’E,
12 m, J.N.A. Hooper, J.A. Kennedy & S.D. Cook,
30.01.1995. QM-G323281, Pieman Canyon, Southeast
Canyons, Tasmania, 41°44.38’S, 144°33.59’E, 176 m, A.
Williams CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’ SS200404,
dredge. Further material as listed in Hooper (1991).
Habitat and Distribution. 12–176 m, hard substrata. Known from North Cape, New Zealand
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
FIG. 3. Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov. (holotype QM-G317177). A, subectosomal style (scale
bar 500 mm). B, base of ectosomal style (scale bar 100 mm). C, choanosomal styles (scale bars 200 mm).
D, ectosomal style (scale bar 100 mm). E, echinating acanthostyle (scale bar 10 mm). F, SEM of
choanosome and ectosome, showing arrangement of styles in primary tracts and protruding
subectosomal styles responsible for the hispid surface (scale bar 1 mm). G, light microscopy of
bouquets of ectosomal styles surrounding a single subectosomal style (scale bar 100 mm). H,
holotype on deck (scale bar 5 cm).
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
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Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
(type locality), Port Hedland region, WA, SE
coast (Southeast Canyons), Tasmania, and the
Moreton Bay region, SE Qld.
Remarks. This species was initially known only
from the New Zealand type locality (Bergquist
1970), and subsequently comprehensively redescribed from deeper waters on the west coast of
Australia (Hooper 1991). The new records
reported here from deeper waters off the west
coast of Tasmania and shallow waters in SE
Queensland greatly extends the known range
of this species, and indicates from these significantly disjunct distributions that it is probably a
member of the temperate fauna, with the Moreton Bay record being a single incursion into
subtropical waters, and that it is probably far
more widely distributed than presently known.
This species characteristically has an arborescent, bifurcating digitate growth form with cylindrical or slightly flattened branches, live colouration yellow-brown to olive-brown, an optically
very hispid surface, and firm, barely compressible stalk with branches more flexible.
Raspailia (Parasyringella) Topsent, 1928
Definition. Raspailia which have secondarily
lost their echinating megascleres.
Raspailia (Parasyringella) australiensis
Ridley, 1884
(Fig. 2C, 8F)
Raspailia (Syringella) australiensis Ridley, 1884: 460;
Pick, 1905: 18, 35; Vosmaer, 1912: 316. Hooper,
1991: 1256–1259, figs 39–40, table 7.
Homaxinella australiensis — Burton, 1934: 42.
Material Examined. QM-G303010, NE Cape Grenville,
Shelburne Bay, Qld, 11°55.03’S, 143°26.99’ E, 51 m,
S.D. Cook on FV ‘Clipper Bird’, 22.iii.1993, trawl.
QM-G300814, E of Groote Eylandt, Gulf of Carpentaria, NT/Qld, 13°30.08’S, 138°47.08’E, 54 m, S.D.
Cook on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’, 24.xi.1991,
trawl. QM-G320826, Gulf of Carpentaria, Qld,
15°20.04’S, 140°19.83’E, 28 m, C. Bartlett & S.D. Cook
on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’ 2380403, 24.v.2003.
trawl. QM-G320811, Gulf of Carpentaria, Qld,
15°20.03’S, 140°19.83’E, 28 m, C. Bartlett & S.D. Cook
on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’ 2380403, 25.v.2003,
trawl. Further material as listed in Hooper (1991).
Habitat and Distribution. 7–54 m depth, on
mud, sand or rubble substrates. Probably widely
distributed in tropical north and north -east
Australia, with confirmed records so far from
8
Darwin, Northern Territory (type locality),
Groote Eylandt NT and Gulf of Carpentaria,
NT/Qld, northern section of the Great Barrier
Reef to Moreton Bay, southern Qld (Fig. 2C).
Remarks. This species was comprehensively
redescribed and illustrated in Hooper (1991),
and is recognisable by its long stringy unbranched cylindrical growth form, muddy brown to
whitish live colouration, its firm, flexible texture
with a woody central stem and fleshy branches,
and an optically even but microscopically rugose
surface. It was originally recorded from Darwin
(Ridley 1881), and subsequently from two other
disjunct populations on the outer reefs on the
northern section of the Great Barrier Reef, and
the southern part of Moreton Bay (Macleay I.)
in SE Queensland (Hooper 1991). The new material listed here from the inner far northern GBR
and the Gulf of Carpentaria fills in the species’
known, previously disjunct distribution.
Aulospongus Norman, 1878
Definition. Raspailiidae with at least two size
classes of rhabdostyles of similar geometry, the
larger (smooth or partially spined) core spongin
fibres, and the smaller (partially spined) echinate
fibres although neither are localised to any region
of the skeleton; choanosomal skeletal structure
is predominantly plumose, with spicules and
fibres amalgamated into bulbous tracts (‘fibrebundles’), more-or-less compacted in the axial
skeleton, becoming increasingly plumose as they
ascend to the periphery, eventually producing a
shaggy, compartmentalised or conulose surface;
axial and extra-axial skeletons undifferentiated
apart from greater amalgamation of fibre-bundles
in the axis.
Aulospongus similiaustralis sp. nov.
(Figs 2D, 4, 8E, Table 3)
Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: QM-G300079, Shag
Rock, SE Corner, North Stradbroke I., Qld, 27°24.5’S,
153°31.4’E, 15 m, 05.ii.1992, J.N.A. Hooper & J. Wilkinson, SCUBA. PARATYPES: QM-G315526, Western
tip of Northwest I., Capricorn/Bunker Group, GBR,
Qld, 23°18.4’S, 151°42.6’E, 15.7 m, 09.vi.1999, S. Cook
et al. QM-G317317, Double Rock, Elliot Heads, Qld,
24°53.5’S, 152°29.3’E, 7.8 m, 11.x.2000, S.D. Cook et al.
QM-G320085, southeast side, Outer Rock, Keppel Is,
GBR, Qld, 23°3.5’S, 150°57.1’E, 15.8 m, 05.xi.2002,
J.N.A. Hooper et al. OTHER MATERIAL. QM-G303218,
Amity Pier and boat ramp, N Stradbroke I., 27°24.13’S,
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
FIG. 4. Aulospongus similiaustralis sp. nov. (holotype QM-G300079). A, Choanosomal rhabdostyle with
slight rhabd and distinct tyle (scale bar 100 mm). B, Subectosomal subtylostyle (scale bar 50 mm). C,
Acanthostyle (scale bar 50 mm). D, Basal and distal spination of acanthostyle (scale bar 10 mm). E,
Specimen (QM-G315610) top view (scale bar 5 cm). F, SEM of skeletal structure, showing the dense
plumose fibre-bundles cored by choanosomal rhadostyles (scale bar 500 mm). G, SEM of choanosomal
brush, showing arrangement of choanosomal styles and echinating acanthostyles (scale bar 200 mm).
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
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Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
153°25.08’E, 11 m, 10.xii.2003, J.N.A. Hooper & S.D.
Cook. QM-G304007, north side, Mudjimba I., Mooloolaba, Qld, 26°36’.6 S, 153°6.8’ E, 11 m, 09.ii.1994,
J.N.A. Hooper et al. QM-G304879, South Side, Mudjimba I., Mooloolaba, Qld, 26°37’ S, 153°6.8’E, 12 m,
30.i.1995, J.N.A. Hooper, J.A. Kennedy & S.D. Cook.
QM-G303963, Jew Shoal, Noosa Heads, Qld, 26°21.9’S,
153°6.6’E, 20 m, 9.ii.1994, J.N.A. Hooper et al. QMG315777, North Halls, Sunshine Coast, Qld, 26°20.4’
S, 153°4.1’ E, 21 m, 13.x.1999, S.D. Cook et al. QMG315732, Jew Shoal, Noosa Heads, Qld, 26°22.3’ S,
153°7.3’ E, 18 m, 12.x.1999, S.D. Cook et al.. QM-G317276,
Pandanas and Burkitt Points, Bargara, Qld, 24°48.2’
S, 152°27.4’ E, 6 m, 9.x.2000, S.D. Cook et al. QMG306292, SW side of Little Woody I., Hervey Bay,
Qld, 25°20’S, 153°1.5’E, 19 m, 18.xi.1995, J.N.A. Hooper
et al. QM-G315610, eastern side of Wistari Reef, Capricorn Bunker Group, GBR, Qld, 23°28.5’ S, 151°52.5’ E,
15 m, 9.vi.1999, M. Garson, J. Simpson, & R. Clarke.
Habitat and Distribution. Coral reef, rock or
rubble and sandy substrates, 6–21 m depth range.
The known species range is from North Stradbroke Island, Moreton Bay, to the Keppel Is.,
Great Barrier Reef, Qld (Fig. 2D). Recently another
single, so far unpublished, specimen of this species
was recorded from the East Point Sponge Gardens, Darwin Harbour, NT (B. Alvarez pers.
comm.) indicating a much more widespread
distribution albeit very rare on the NW coast.
Description. Shape. Thickly encrusting globular,
bulbous, spherical or subspherical sponges, ranging from 4–15 cm diameter and 2.5–6 cm. The
globular growth form is composed of densely
compartmentalised plumose columns, with columns flattened (24–36 x 0.5–1 mm) and arranged
perpendicular to surface.
Colour. Bright orange; beige in preservative.
Oscules. Not observed.
Texture and surface characteristics. Velvety and
compressible, can be torn easily. Surface is hispid
and perpendicular columns of amalgamated spiculose fibre-bundles are inter-connected by a thin
layer of spongin.
Ectosome and subectosome. No specialised ectosome is present although larger choanosomal
rhabdostyles penetrate the surface arising from
the underlying plumose fibre-bundles in the
peripheral choanosomal skeleton. The dense
arrangement of projecting rhabostyles produces
a disorganised ectosome rather than a palisadelike structure typical of other raspailiids. Subectosomal subtylostyles are also organised in a
10
plumose arrangement but they are sparsely
distributed, predominantly in the peripheral
skeleton. A darkly pigmented layer of collagen
is present just below the surface, 100–150 mm
thick.
Choanosome. Each perpendicular column arising
from the choanosome to the peripheral skeleton
consists of several bundles of amalgamated plumose fibre-bundles (each 50–100 mm in diameter),
cored by multispicular tracts of choanosomal
rhabdostyles coring and projecting from moderately heavy spongin fibres, and together with
moderately abundant echinating acanthostyles
form distinctly plumose ascending columns, 300–
600 mm in diameter, without any apparent reticulate spicule or fibre interconnections. Spicules are
dense and project obliquely from fibres. Long,
thin subectosomal subtylostyles project from
columns only sparsely. Lightly pigmented collagen is distributed throughout the choanosome.
Megascleres (refer to Table 3 for dimensions).
Choanosomal rhabdostyles are robust, tapering
to sharp points, only slightly rhabdose at the
base with curvature proximal to the base. The
basal tyle is typically swollen with a subtylote
constriction, less often without pronounced swelling and only faint curvature.
Subectosomal subtylostyles are long, thin, often
curved at the centre or towards the basal end,
with the basal subtylote swelling small but with a
pronounced subtylote constriction, and slightly
rhabdose base.
Echinating acanthostyles are long, slender, prominently subtylote, with only a very faint rhabdose basal curvature. Small spines evenly distributed along the shaft except for a bare point, and
basal tile covered with small spines. Spines are
erect or slightly recurved, and less than 1 mm
long.
Remarks. In its superficial growth form (encrusting bulbous, globular), surface features (conulose
or papillose), live colouration (orange or red),
possession of slightly rhabdose megascleres, and
choanosomal structure (bundles of perpendicular spicule tracts) this species is remarkably
superficially similar to Dragmacidon australe (Bergquist, 1970) (Halichondrida: Axinellidae). However, these similarities are purely convergent as
demonstrated by differences in spicule composition between the two species (with D.
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
australe having only styles and oxeas, the former
slightly rhabdose). Another superficial comparison is with Dragmaxia variabilis (Whitelegge)
(Halichondriidae), which has a similar skeletal
structure consisting of skeletal columns with
spicules obliquely directed towards the surface,
but the principal spicules in A. similiaustralis are
distinctly plumose in formation, choanosomal
styles and echinating acanthostyles are both rhabdose (albeit with poorly developed rhabds), and
D. variabilis also contains trichodragmata and
raphides. The new species clearly belongs to
Aulospongus in having dense plumose fibrebundles cored by rhabdostyles forming ascending
columns, closely arranged at the base of the
sponge, and separating completely towards the
surface of the sponge, or into compartments,
and structural styles and echinating acanthostyles of similar geometry, both characteristic
for the genus. In contrast, other raspailiids with
rhabdostyles, Raspailia (Raspaxilla), have choanosomal principal styles geometrically different
from echinating acanthostyles, the choanosomal
principal styles lack any basal rhabd, and there
are no discrete ascending fibre-bundles forming
columns but instead with well differentiated
axial and extra-axial skeletons (Hooper 2002).
The present species is most similar to A. tubulatus
(Bowerbank, 1873), described from the western
Indian Ocean to Sri Lanka, in possessing discrete
surface conules produced by fibre-bundles and
columns, a red or pinkish live colouration, and
both having poorly developed rhabdose bases
on both choanosomal rhabdostyles and echinating acanthostyles. The two species differ in
other aspects, with A. tubulatus having some
reticulate aspicular fibres interconnecting ascending columns, a massive tubular or subspherical
growth form, lacking subectosomal styles but
having instead smaller ectosomal rhaphiform
styles, and patterns of spination and specific
dimensions of spicules differing substantially
(Table 3) (Hooper et al. 1999). In its spination A.
similiaustralis is unusual amongst Aulospongus
in having echinating acanthostyles more or less
completely and evenly spined (similar to
Raspailia species), whereas these spicules in most
Aulospongus species have a smooth base and
spined only or predominantly on the distal part
of the shaft and point. Refer to Hooper et al.
(1999) for a comparison with other known species
of Aulospongus.
Etymology. This species is named for its remarkable superficial resemblance to Dragmacidon
australe (Bergquist, 1970), formerly allocated to
Pseudaxinella.
Sollasella Lendenfeld, 1887
Definition. Raspailiidae with strong axial column
of confusedly aligned oxeas and styles, and with
extra-axial columns of short oxeas and long and
short styles positioned at right angles to the
axial column. At the surface there is a characteristic ornamentation of polygonally arranged
inhalant (?) pores and the oxeas form a continuous palisade of brushes of oxeas pierced by
long styles. A low proportion of short acanthostyles may be present.
Sollasella moretonensis Van Soest et al., 2006
(Fig. 5A, 9A)
Sollasella moretonensis Van Soest, Hooper, Beglinger
& Erpenbeck, 2006: 140–143, figs 4–5, Table 2.
Material Examined. Specimens as listed in Van Soest
et al. (2006).
Habitat and Distribution. This species is moderately common in waters outside and adjacent to
Moreton Bay, extending up to Noosa on the
Sunshine Coast, associated with muddy substrata at the base of coral reefs, with a known
depth range of 11–31 m (Fig. 5A).
Remarks. All known material of this species
was recently described and published by Van
Soest et al. (2006), with the holotype (QM-G303227),
paratype and six specimens collected from the
eastern side of North Stradbroke I. (type locality,
27.40083°S, 153.53°E) up to the northern end of
the Sunshine Coast (26.3461°S, 153. 067°E), one
from Shelburne Bay, north Qld (11.61722°S,
143.06889°E), and one very disjunct specimen
from the vicinity of Cape Jaubert, north coast of
WA (19.76667°S, 118.21667°E). As noted in Van
Soest et al. (2006), the two isolated records in
Shelburne Bay and Cape Jaubert were from
commercial and scientific trawls made in deeper
muddy substrates, and suggest that the species
may have a wider distribution than presently
known, or a disjunct distribution in tropical
Australia, although this pattern is still unclear
given that there has been intensive sampling of
areas in between without trace of this species.
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
11
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
The species is very distinctive morphologically.
It is bright orange to orange-brown in life, with
a vasiform to fan-shaped growth form bearing
rounded ‘lumpy’ margins, usually attached to
the substrate by a short cylindrical woody holdfast. Texture is harsh, slightly hispid, firm and
stiff, and the surface has a distinctive polygonal
plate-like pattern formed by shallow pits surrounding low conules, each perforated by an
oscule with a raised lip at its apex, pigmented
more darkly than the surrounding area, and reminiscent of typical Polymastia surface patterns.
Subfamily Thrinacophorinae Hooper, 2002
Ceratopsion Strand, 1928
Definition. Raspailiidae lacking echinating spicules, having an axially compressed choanosomal
skeleton with reticulate fibres cored by sinuous
styles or anisoxeas and a well differentiated
radial extraaxial skeleton cored by longer megascleres.
Ceratopsion clavatum Thiele, 1898
(Fig. 5B, 9B)
Ceratopsis clavata Thiele, 1898: 57, pl.5, fig.23, pl.8,
fig.42a–c.
Ceratopsion clavata — Hooper, 1991: 1328, table 18.
Hooper & Lévi, 1993: 1287–1291, figs 35–37, table
15.
Material Examined. NORTHERN NSW: QM-G301426,
The Nursery/ Cod Hole, NE of Julian Rocks, Byron
Bay, 28°36.13’S, 153°37.12’E, 17m, J.N.A. Hooper &
S.D. Cook, 3.ii.1993. SOUTHEAST QLD: QM- G301289,
Hanlon Light, Moreton Bay, 27°28.5’S, 153°20.9’E, 10 m,
J.N.A. Hooper & S.D. Cook, 3.xi.1992. QM-G303975,
North side of Mudjimba I., off Mooloolabah, 26°36.12’S,
153°6.15’E, 11 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 9.ii.1994. QMG320226, precise locality unknown, Deception Bay,
Moreton Bay, Qld, QDPI Fisheries, FV ‘Southern Intruder’
Scallop Survey, 11.x.2002, trawl. GREAT BARRIER REEF,
QLD: QM-G303862, S Triangle Reef, Hook Reef, Whitsunday region, 19°49.03’S, 149°7.02’E, 28 m, J. Hooper &
L.J. Hobbs, 9.xii.1993. QM-G304371, NW of Lizard I.,
W. of Underwood Shoal, 14°35.02’S, 145° 20.13’E, 24
m, DPI on FV ‘Gwendoline May’, 9.iv.1994, trawl.
QM-G320714, Mid Reef, Howick Group, 14°26.89’S,
144°52.88’E, 23 m, J. Hooper, et al., 3.vii.2003. QMG320792, Houghton Reef, Howick Group, 14°31.19’S,
144° 58.89’E, 20 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 3.vii.2003.
QM-G304918, QM-G304916, precise locality unknown,
N. Coleman, 13.v.1994. QM-G306716, Petricola Shoals,
NE. of Lizard I., 14°37.13’S, 145°28.08’E, 23 m, J. Hooper
& P.A. Tomkins, 6.iii.1996. CORAL SEA TERRITORIES,
off QLD: QM-G320588, Wilson Reef, 13°40.36’S,
144°13.59’E, 36 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 1.vii.2003.
QM-G320634, Davie Reef, 13°59.22’S, 144°26.47’E,
23m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 1.vii.2003. QM-G320685,
Munro Reef, 14° 18.15’S, 144°48.81’E, 23 m, J.N.A. Hooper
et al., 2.vii.2003. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: QM-G312952,
Keppel Point, Hood Bay, SE Papuan Lagoon,
10°8.13’S, 147° 54.15’E, 35 m, J.N.A. Hooper & M.
Kelly, 16.xii.1996. QM-G312936, 12 mile sandbank,
Kupiano, SE Papuan Lagoon, 10°11.05’S, 148°10.13’E,
20 m, J.N.A. Hooper & M. Kelly, 15.xii.1996. Further
material as listed in Hooper (1991) and Hooper &
Lévi, (1993).
Habitat and Distribution. Coral and rock substrates, 10–130 m depth (deeper samples from
New Caledonia). Possibly very widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical Indo-west
Pacific although so far only with confirmed distributions reported from Sagami Bay, Japan (type
locality), south-west lagoon of New Caledonia
(Hooper & Levi 1993), Southern Papua New
Guinea Barrier Reef, Coral Sea territories, Great
FIG. 5. Maps of wider distributions of raspailiid species found in Moreton Bay. A, Sollasella moretonensis. B,
Ceratopsion clavata.
12
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
Barrier Reef, South East Qld to northern NSW
(present study) (Fig. 5B).
Remarks. This species is well-recognisable by
its yellow to pale orange colouration in life, an
arborescent digitate morphology ranging from
bushy to elongate digitate or whip-like, and a
prominently conulose surface. It was comprehensively redescribed by Hooper & Lévi (1993)
from New Caledonian and Moreton Bay specimens, with the present study greatly extending
its known distribution from southern PNG to
subtropical eastern Australia.
Lyne Reef, 12°7.0’S, 130°59.0’E, 30 m, Conservation
Commission of the Northern Territory, 11.x.1993,
dredge. QM-G301203, Flattop Bank, NE Joseph
Bonaparte Gulf, Timor Sea, 12°16.0’S, 129°15’E, 32 m,
J.N.A. Hooper, 17.v.1992, dredge. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: QM-G306039, NE of Dampier, 19°14.12’S,
117°36.10’E, 98 m, S.D. Cook on CSIRO RV ‘Southern
Surveyor’, 1.ix.1995, dredge. PALAU ISLANDS: QMG306396, QM-G306397, Kaibakku Tunnel, Ngeteklou,
7°19.08’N, 134°29.0’E, 8 m, J.N.A. Hooper, 14.xii.1995.
FEDERATED STATES OF MICRONESIA: QM-G301245,
Mortlock Is, Etal Atoll, NE section of lagoon, Chuuk,
5°34.09’N, 153°33.05’E, 22 m, Coral Reef Research
Foundation, 9.vi.1992. Further material as listed in
Hooper (1991).
Subfamily Echinodictyinae Hooper, 2002
Habitat and Distribution. This species is mostly
found associated with hard rock and dead coral
substrates, from subtidal to deeper water reefs (6–96
m depth). It is widely distributed from Tahiti to
India, and from Chuuk Atoll to southeast Qld (Fig.
6A).
Echinodictyum Ridley, 1881
Definition. Raspailiidae with an exclusively
reticulate choanosomal skeleton, without any
trace of axial compression, cored exclusively by
smooth oxeas, and vestigial radial extra-axial
and ectosomal skeletons.
Echinodictyum asperum Ridley & Dendy,
1886
(Fig. 6A, 9C)
Echinodictyum asperum Ridley & Dendy, 1886: 477.
Ridley & Dendy, 1887: 165, pl.32, fig.2; Whitelegge, 1897: 328–329; Topsent, 1897: 446, pl.20,
fig.23; Burton & Rao, 1932: 348; Lévi, 1961: 524,
fig.15; Desqueyroux-Faundez, 1981: 757, table II;
Hooper, 1984: 55; Hooper, 1991: 1353-1356, figs
86–87, 110c, table 20.
Material Examined. MORETON BAY REGION, QLD:
QM-G303197, Conjevoi Reef, off Sovereign Beach,
east of Moreton I, 27°16.13’S, 153°25.08’E, 14 m, J.N.A.
Hooper & S.D. Cook, 1.vi.1993. GREAT BARRIER
REEF, QLD: QM-G314132, Lady Musgrave I., inside
lagoon wall near entrance, 23°53.99’S, 152°24.62’E, 11
m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 25.ii.1998. FAR NORTH QLD:
QM-G303055, NE Cape Grenville, Shelburne Bay,
11°40.03’S, 143°4.03’E, 28 m, S.D. Cook on FV ‘Clipper
Bird’, 25.iii.1993, trawl. QM-G303064, NE Cape
Grenville, Shelburne Bay, 11°25.13’S, 143°52.03’E, 23
m, S.D. Cook on FV ‘Clipper Bird’, 27.iii.1993, trawl.
QM-G316939, Torres Strait, 10°24.6’S, 142°41.40’E, 20
m, C. Bartlett on RV ‘Gwendoline May’, 13.i.2004,
trawl. NORTHERN TERRITORY: QM-G303358,
Stephen’s Rock, West Arm, Darwin Harbour,
12°29.17’S, 130°47.18’E, 19 m, J.N.A. Hooper & L.J.
Hobbs, 24.ix.1993. QM-G310228, Darwin Harbour,
12°17.58’S, 130°28.44, 13 m, Australian Institute of
Marine Science NCI group, 20.viii.1987. QM-G313317,
North of Bathurst Is, Arafura Sea, 11°19.98’S,
130°12.18’E, depth unknown, T. Wassenberg, CSIRO,
10.iii.1997, dredge. QM-G303566, Vernon Is, SSE of
Remarks. This species has a wide distribution
within the tropical Indo-west Pacific, with specimens examined from Papiete, Tahiti (type locality) (Ridley & Dendy 1886, 1887), to Tuticorin,
India (Burton & Rao 1932), Tuvalu (Whitelegge
1897), Indonesia (Topsent 1897; DesqueyrouxFaundez 1981), Philippines (Lévi 1961), northwest Australia and Northern Territory (Hooper
1991), Chuuk, Palau and along the northeast
coast of Australia from Torres Strait to the
Moreton Bay region (present study). This is the
first record of this species from the east coast of
Australia. Interestingly, there is not yet any confirmed record of this species within the Gulf of
Carpentaria, despite some significant sampling
effort there, with an apparently disjunct distribution of western (west of the Wessel Islands,
NT) and eastern populations (southeast of the
Torres Straits, Qld). The species is characterised
by a light brown to grey brown live colouration,
with honeycomb-like dense reticulation of flattened branches forming spherical or irregular
lobate masses, occasionally arborescent, with a
firm, compressible but difficult to tear texture,
and an optically uneven surface that is cavernous from the close-meshed reticulate branches.
Echinodictyum conulosum Kieschnick, 1900
(Fig. 6B, 9D)
Echinodictyum conulosum Kieschnick, 1900: 570–1.
Hooper, 1991: 1370–1373, figs 95–96, 110h, table
24.
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
13
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
FIG. 6. Maps of wider distributions of Echinodictyum species found in Moreton Bay. A, E.
asperum. B, E. conulosum. C, E. luteum sp. nov. D, E. mesenterinum.
Material Examined. SOUTHEAST QLD: QM-G317169,
off Toondah Harbour, Cleveland, 27°30.91’S,
153°18.19’E, 8 m, J.A. Kennedy & T. Wassenberg,
2.viii.2000. QM-G317228, Myora Light, west side of
North Stradbroke I, Moreton Bay, 27°28.10’S, 153°
24.07’E, 1 m, J.N.A. Hooper, 26.ix.2000. QM-G320278,
Wellington Point, Moreton Bay, 27°30’S, 153°15’E, 1
m, S.A. List-Armitage, 15.iv.2003. CENTRAL QLD:
QM-G317265, inshore reef at Pandanas and Burkitt
Points, Bargara, 24°48.47’S, 152°27.72’E, 6 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 9.x.2000. FAR NORTH QLD: QM-G321041,
Torres Strait, 10°51.0’S, 142°7.8’E, 16 m, C. Bartlett on
FV ‘Gwendoline May’, 9.xi.2004, trawl. Further
material as listed in Hooper (1991).
Habitat and Distribution. Shallow coastal and
shallow offshore rock reefs, in mud or areas
with high sedimentation rates; 1–84 m depth.
Tropical and subtropical distribution from the
Port Hedland region, WA, around to SE Qld
(Fig. 6B).
Remarks. Even though Kieschnick’s (1900)
paper concerned species mainly from Ambon,
Indonesia, the label on the holotype in the
Phyletisches Museum in Jena, Germany (PMJ
14
POR85) indicates that it was collected from
Thursday I., Torres Strait. It was subsequently
redescribed from extensive collections from
mainly inshore turbid localities extending from
the Northwest Shelf of WA, Darwin, NT, Gulf
of Carpentaria, Qld, to the inner GBR, Qld
(Hooper 1991). Present records extend this distribution substantially along the northeast coast of
Australia to Moreton Bay, Qld. The species is jet
black or black with a purple tinge when alive,
usually silt covered in shallow water
specimens, and has a cavernous reticulate
growth form typical of Echinodictyum being
elongate, conical, lobate or digitate, with short
basal stalk. The texture is firm and flexible, and
the surface is covered with numerous large
conulose projections with pointed furry tips.
Echinodictyum luteum sp. nov.
(Figs 6C, 7, 9E, Table 4)
Material Examined. HOLOTYPE: QM-G304769, Nymph
I., West of Lizard I., Great Barrier Reef, Qld, 14°39.0’S,
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
145°13.1’E, 17 m depth J.A. Kennedy, DPI Fisheries
FV ‘Gwendolyn May’, 04.ix,1994, trawl. PARATYPES:
QM-G317152, off Toondah Harbour, Cleveland,
Moreton Bay, Qld, 27°30.91’S, 153°18.19’E, 8 m, J.A.
Kennedy & T. Wassenberg, 02.viii.2000. QMG306395, Kaibakku Tunnel Ngeteklou, Palau 7°19.08’N,
134°29.0’E, 8 m, J.N.A. Hooper, 14.xii.1995.
Habitat and Distribution. Found on rocky substrate and sheltered overhangs, from 8–17 m
depth. The species is rare and the three known
specimens are widely disjunctly distributed,
from Moreton Bay, SE Qld, the northern Great
Barrier Reef and Palau (Fig. 6C).
Description. Shape. Stalked, with a small basal
attachment (1–3 cm long, up to 1 cm in diameter) and shrub-like body composed of partially
or fully fused anastomosing branches, forming
a close-meshed reticulate club or fan (6–14 cm
high, 8–13 cm wide).
Colour. Yellow to yellow-brown both in life,
and in ethanol, which it stains a light yellow.
Oscules. Not observed.
Texture and surface characteristics. Soft, fleshy
and compressible sponge with cavernous reticulate structure. Tips of conules thrown up into
points which give shaggy appearance, and are
easily torn.
Ectosome and subectosome. Ectosome membranous, without any specialised raspailiid skeleton, but with a tangential layer of oxeas in sparsely confused arrangement lying immediately
below the ectosome.
Choanosome. Primary and secondary tracts are
multispicular and form an irregular yet welldefined reticulation with cavernous meshes.
Individual oxeas are scattered throughout the
choanosome within a lightly collagenous mesohyl. Primary and secondary tracts are regularly
echinated by long slender acanthostyles.
Megascleres (refer to Table 4 for dimensions).
Primary oxeas are long and thick, slightly
curved centrally, with tapering sharp points.
Secondary oxeas are significantly thinner, less
prominently curved than primary oxeas, and
with blunter points.
Echinating acanthostyles are long, slender,
mostly straight, with a slight subtylote swelling. Pattern of spination varies along the length
of the spicule, being light and regular on the
shaft, becoming more concentrated at the base
and tip. Base is covered in clumped blunt and
sharp spines, mostly erect, few recurved. The
neck, below the tyle, has fewer erect sharp
spines and few small blunt spines. Spination
decreases in the upper-midsection of the shaft
where they are erect and pointed, and then
increases to larger recurved thorny spines along
the lower-midsection and these continue to the
point. The larger spines are up to 3 mm long.
Remarks. Echinodictyum luteum sp. nov. is unusual
within the genus in its live yellowish colour,
whereas most species are darkly pigmented
(black, purple, dark brown), including a
heavily pigmented mucus (Hooper 1991). This
species also has characteristic long, slender and
peculiarly spined acanthostyles, with spination
varying from sharp and erect on the basal end
to strongly recurved and thorny on the distal
end. The morphology of acanthostyles was
found to be a useful character to differentiate
species of Echinodictyum, in an otherwise fairly
homogeneous and morphologically depauperate
group of sponges (Hooper 1991). In this
character E. luteum sp. nov. is marginally most
similar to E. clathratum Dendy from the Indian
Ocean. Hooper (1991) provides a synopsis and
illustrations of all known Echinodictyum species.
The significant disjunct distribution of this
species from southeast Queensland, the Great
Barrier Reef and Palau is also remarkable, and
the species appears to be rare, with the assumption that it may occur in between this extensive
geographic ranges. The only notable difference
between Queensland and Palau specimens is
the latter has marginally larger acanthostyles
(Table 4).
Etymology. This species is named for its unusual colouration (from Latin luteus, yellow).
Echinodictyum mesenterinum (Lamarck, 1814)
(Fig. 6D, 9F)
Spongia mesenterina Lamarck, 1814: 444.
Echinodictyum mesenterinum — Carter, 1882: 114; Ridley,
1884b: 185; Topsent, 1932: 101; Hooper, 1984: 55;
Hooper, 1991: 1379–85, figs 100–103, 110i, table
25.
Spongia bilamellata Lamarck, 1816: 436 (in part, var. á).
Echinodictyum bilamellatum —Ridley, in Ridley &
Duncan, 1881: 493, pl. 28, figs 1–6; Ridley, 1884:
454; Hentschel, 1911: 385; Hallmann, 1912: 299,
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
15
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
FIG. 7. Echinodictyum luteum sp. nov. (holotype QM-G304769). A, Echinating acanthostyle (scale
bar 25 mm). B, Spination pattern on echinating acanthostyle (scale bar 10 mm). C, Primary
choanosomal oxea (scale bar 100 mm). D, Secondary choanosomal oxea (scale bar 100 mm). E, SEM
of skeletal structure, showing reticulation of multispicular tracts (scale bar 1 mm). F, SEM of
choanosome, showing arrangement of oxeas and echination of acanthostyles (scale bar 200 mm). G,
holotype on deck (scale bar 8 cm).
16
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
1914: 267; Dendy & Frederick, 1924: 504; Topsent,
1932: 69, 101, pl. 6, fig. 5; Topsent, 1933: 23; Burton,
1938: 15, 20; Guiler, 1950: 7.
Kalykenteron elegans Lendenfeld, 1888: 216; Hallmann,
1914: 267.
Echinodictyum elegans — Hallmann, 1912: 171, pl. 23,
fig. 1, text-fig. 35.
Kalykenteron silex Lendenfeld, 1888: 217; Hallmann,
1914: 267.
Echinodictyum topsenti de Laubenfels, 1936: 63.
Thalassodendron typica —Whitelegge, 1901: 86 (in part);
Hallmann, 1912: 171, 203. [Not Thalassodendron
typica Lendenfeld, 1888: 233].
Echinonema vasiplicata Carter, 1882: 114; Ridley, 1884:
454; Hentschel, 1911: 385.
Material Examined. SOUTHEAST QLD: G315659, Sunshine Reef, Sunshine Coast, 26°24.77’S, 153°8.08’E, 27
m, S.D. Cook et al., 11.x.1999. QM-G300883, Myora
Reef, North Stradbroke I., Moreton Bay, 27°28.08’S,
153°24.10’E, 8 m, J. Hooper & S. Cook, 14.iv.1992.
QM-G301280, off Banana Bouy to Pat’s Point, 27°
33.08’S, 153°20.05’E, 3 m, K. Lamprell, M. Norman &
C. Eddie, 1.x.1992, dredge. QM-G301303, E. side Peel
I., Moreton Bay, 27°30’S, 153°24.0’E, 3 m, J. Hooper &
S. Cook, 3.xi.1992. QM-G301304, Myora Light, W
side North Stradbroke I., 27°28.10’S, 153°24.07’E, 4
m, J. Hooper & S. Cook, 3.xi.1992. QM-G303222, 1.85
nm off Peel I., 3.8 nm off Cleveland, Moreton Bay,
27°28.10’S, 153°20.08’E, 10 m, J.N.A. Hooper & S.D.
Cook, 3.vi.1993, trawl. QM-G303238, Middle Reef,
nth of North Stradbroke I., 27°24.05’S, 153°31.99’E,
30 m, J.N.A. Hooper & J.A. Kennedy, 4.vi.1993. QMG313405, QM-G313409, Dunwich, North Stradbroke
I., 27°30’S, 153°24.0’E, 1 m, S.D. Cook, 18.viii.1997.
QM-G317154, QM-G317168, off Toondah Harbour,
Cleveland, 27°30.91’S, 153°18.19’E, 8 m, J.A. Kennedy
& T. Wassenberg, 2.viii.2000. QM-G320272, Wellington
Point, Moreton Bay, 27°30’S, 153°15’E, intertidal, S.
List-Armitage et al., 15.iv.2003. QM-G303998, QMG304004, N side of Mudjimba I., off Mooloolabah,
Sunshine Coast, 26°36.12, 153°6.15’E, 11 m, J.N.A.
Hooper et al., 9.ii.1994. QM-G315107, Outer Gneerings,
Sunshine Coast, 26°39.45’S, 153°12.89’E, 28 m, J.N.A.
Hooper et al., 15.x.1998. QM-G303959, Jew Shoals,
Noosa Heads, Sunshine Coast, 26°21.15’S, 153°6.10’E,
20 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 9.ii.1994. QM-G315107, Outer
Gneerings, Sunshine Coast, 26°39.45’S, 153°12.90’E,
27.9 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 15.x.1998. QM-G315659,
Sunshine Reef, off Sunshine Coast, 26°24.77’S, 153°
8.08’E, 27 m, S.D. Cook et al., 11.x.1999. QM-G315764,
North Halls, off Sunshine Coast, 26°20.77’S, 153°4.0’E,
21 m, S.D. Cook et al., 13.x.1999. QM-G306244, S side
Woody I., Hervey Bay, 25°20.07’S, 152°59.10’S, 3 m,
J.N.A. Hooper et al., 17.xi.1995. QM-G306288, Sponge
Gardens, SW of Little Woody I., Hervey Bay, 25°20.02’S,
153°1.08’E, 19 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 18.xi.1995. GREAT
BARRIER REEF, QLD: QM-G307500, N side Polmaise
Reef, Capricorn-Bunker Group, 23°33.05’S, 151°39.15’E,
12 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 12.viii.1996. QM-G307750,
NE Point, Crab Spit, Low Isles, fore reef, 16°23.13’S,
145°34.05’E, 18 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 16.i.1997. QMG307862, SE tip of Wooded Islet, Low Isles,
16°23.13’S, 145°34.0’E, 16 m, J.N.A. Hooper et al.,
18.i.1997. QM-G314363, Curacao I. on west side, Palm
Islands Group, 18°40.82’S, 146°32.62’E, 30 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 22.i.1999. QM-G314727, NE corner of
Little Lindeman I., 20°25.32’S, 149°2.56’E, 22 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 2.vi.1999. QM-G314787, Cid Harbour,
Whitsunday I., 20°16.82’S, 148°55.59’E, 18 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 2.vi.1999. QM-G314841, Alcyonarian Point,
Hook I., Whitsunday Group, 20°3.93’S, 149°55.41’E,
15 m, S.D. Cook et al., 3.vi.1999. QM-G314919, Cateran
Bay, Border I., Whitsunday Group, 20°9.16’S, 149°
2.54’E, 30 m, S.D. Cook et al., 4.vi.1999. QM-G315420,
Chauvel Reef, 20°49.54’S, 150°20.13’E, 19 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 7.vi.1999. QM-G317316, Double Rock,
Elliott Heads, 24°53.88’S, 152°29.53’E, 7.8 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 11.x.2000, SCUBA. QM-G317381, NE of
Bustard Head, 23°53.92’S, 151°50.53’E, 31 m, QDPI
Fisheries, 8.x.2000, trawl. QM-G317988, NE of Gladstone, 23°41.73’S, 151°31.09’E, 25 m, QDPI Fisheries,
Scallop Survey on FV ‘Seadar Bay’, 18.x.2001, trawl.
QM-G318409, Pompey Reefs, 21°22.68’S, 151°14.88’E,
19.2 m, S.D. Cook et al., 18.ii.2000. QM-G319404, NE
of Gladstone, 23°39.06’S, 151°33.04’E, 29 m, QDPI
Fisheries Scallop Survey on FV 'C-King', 18.x.2001,
trawl. QM-G319430, E of Gladstone, 23°51.59’S,
151°41.39’E, 30 m, QDPI Fisheries Scallop Survey on
FV 'C-King', 19.x.2001, trawl. QM-G320125, Man and
Wife I., Keppel Islands, 23°7.08’S, 150°59.45’E, 17.4
m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 6.xi.2002. QM-G320208, Big
Peninsula, Great Keppel I., 23°9.03’S, 150°58.4’E, 12
m, J.N.A. Hooper et al., 7.xi.2002. QM-G320241, QDPI
Scallop Survey 106 Shot 41, 22°45.68’S, 151°4.73’E,
QDPI Fisheries Scallop Survey on FV ‘Southern
Intruder’, 15.x.2002, trawl. QM-G320741, Mid Reef,
Howick Group, 14°26.89’S, 144°52.88’E, 23 m, J.N.A.
Hooper et al., 3.vii.2003. QM-G320757, Houghton
Reef, Howick Group, 14°31.19’S, 144°58.89’E, 20 m,
J.N.A. Hooper et al., 3.vii.2003. QM-G321570, Sykes
Reef, Heron I, 23°27.07’S, 152°2.33’E, 19.2 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 8 m, 9.xi.2004. QM-G321700, eastern end,
NorthWest I., 23°26.0’S, 151°36.49’E, 20.8 m, S.D.
Cook et al., 10.xi.2004. QM-G321765, Rock Cod Shoal,
23°40.62’S, 151°37.10’E, 14 m, S.D. Cook et al., 11.xi.2004.
QM-G321821, SW of Fitzroy I., 16°55.59’S, 145°59.29’E,
20 m, S.D. Cook et al., 24.xi.2004. QM-G321858, Normanby I., N end of Frankland Is, 17°12.24’S, 146°4.45’E,
13 m, S.D. Cook et al., 25.xi.2004. QM-G321913,
Gibson Reef, 17°18.35’S, 146°20.65’E, 24 m, S.D. Cook
et al., 26.xi.2004. QM-G321955, Hall-Thompson Reef,
17°36.58’S, 146°26.51’E, 15 m, S.D. Cook et al., 26.xi.2004.
CORAL SEA TERRITORIES. QM-G320434, Melville
Passage, Tydeman Reef, 13°59.37’S, 144°29.95’E, 32 m,
J.N.A. Hooper et al., 29.vi.2003. QM-G320648, Munro
Reef, 14°18.15’S, 144°48.81’E, 23 m, J.N.A. Hooper et
al., 2.vii.2003. GULF OF CARPENTARIA, NT: QM-G300780,
E of Gove Peninsula, 13°48.03’S, 136°21.04’E, 18.8 m,
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
17
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
FIG. 8. Moreton Bay Raspailiidae fauna. A, Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov. (holotype, QM-G315208, on deck,
from Moreton Bay). B–C, Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov. (holotype, QM-G317177, alive and on deck, from
Moreton Bay). D, Raspailia (Raspaxilla) compressa Bergquist (QM-G304878, on deck, from Mooloolaba). E,
Aulospongus similiaustralis sp. nov. (QM-G303963, in situ, from Noosa). F, Raspailia (Parasyringella) australiensis
Ridley (QM-G320811, on deck, Gulf of Carpentaria).
18
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
FIG. 9. Moreton Bay Raspailiidae fauna. A, Sollasella moretonensis Van Soest, Hooper, Beglinger & Erpenbeck
(holotype, QM-G303227, in situ, from North Stradbroke I.). B, Ceratopsis clavata Thiele (specimen, QM-G301426,
from Byron Bay). C, Echinodictyum asperum Ridley & Dendy (specimen, QM-G303197, in situ, from Moreton
I.). D, Echinodictyum conulosum Kieschnick (specimen, QM-G317228, intertidal, from North Stradbroke I.). E,
Echnodictyum luteum sp. nov. (paratype, QM-G306395, in situ, from Palau). F, Echinodictyum mesenterinum
(Lamarck) (specimen, QM-G303959, in situ, Noosa).
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
19
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoenlinger
S.D. Cook on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’,
23.xi.1991, trawl. QM-G300792, E of Gove Peninsula,
12°37.02’S, 136°49.05’E, 26 m, S.D. Cook on CSIRO
RV ‘Southern Surveyor’, 23.xi.1991, dredge. QMG300818, E of Groote Eylandt, 13°1.08’S, 136°43.0’E,
22 m, S.D. Cook on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’,
23 xi.1991, trawl. NORTHERN TERRITORY. QM-G303326,
East Point Bommies, Darwin Harbour, 12°24.08’S,
130°48.13’E, 10 m, J.N.A. Hooper & L.J. Hobbs,
23.ix.1993. QM-G303429, Mandorah Jetty, Darwin Harbour, 12°26.1’S, 130°46.02’E, 9 m, J.N.A. Hooper &
L.J. Hobbs, 25.ix.1993. QM-G313318, N of Bathurst I.,
Arafura Sea, 11°19.98’S, 130°12.18’E, 40 m, T. Wassenberg CSIRO, 10.iii.1997, trawl. QM-G314244, Arafura
Sea, north of Cape Wessel, 10°45’S, 136°52.0’E, 53 m,
S.P. Leys on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’, 24.ix.1998,
trawl. WESTERN AUSTRALIA. QM-G304585, Monkey
Mia, Eastern Bluff, Peron Peninsula, Shark Bay, 25°
48’S, 113°45’E, subtidal, R. Smolker, Univ. Southern
California, 21.vi.1994. QM-G306004, SW of Cape
Jaubert, 19°27.13’S, 117°20.05’E, 86 m, S.D. Cook on
CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’, 31.viii.1995, trawl.
QM-G306009, NE of Dampier, 19°34.08’S, 117°14.15’E,
74 m, S.D. Cook on CSIRO RV ‘Southern Surveyor’,
31.viii.1995, trawl. QM-G306173, SW of Broome,
19°24.15’S, 118°3.03’E, 68 m, S.D. Cook on CSIRO RV
‘Southern Surveyor’, 6.ix.1995, trawl. NEW CALEDONIA.
QM-G304705, Isle de Sable, 19°15’S, 163°48.0’E, 11 m,
J. Vacelet, 25.iv.1989. SINGAPORE. QM-G313102, Pulau
Tembakul (Kusu I.), Freyberg Channel, 1°13.08’N,
103°51.12’E, 18.7 m, J.N.A. Hooper & J.A. Kennedy,
2.v.1997. MALAYSIA. QM-G321087, SW peninsular,
centre of bay W of T. Melano, 2°1.7’N, 109°39.2’E, 8 m,
N.J. Pilcher, Marine Research Foundation, 30.v.2003.
VIETNAM: QM-G300050, Off Han Rai I., Gulf of Thailand, 9°43.12’N, 104°20.10’E, 4 m, Y. Yakovlev on
USSR RV ‘Akademik Oparin’, 29.x.1987. PHILIPPINES.
QM-G304786, NW side Olango I., off Cebu, 10°16.05’N,
124°2.03’E, 23 m, Coral Reef Research Foundation,
8.ii.1994. Further material as listed in Hooper (1991).
Habitat and Distribution. Subtidal and shallow
coastal rock, live and dead coral reefs, with a
known bathymetric distribution from intertidal
to 86 m depth. This species has a circumAustralian distribution, and also widely distributed throughout the Indo-west Pacific (see records
also from Hooper 1991), and it is particularly
common in tropical waters on both sides of the
continent. The present study greatly expands
the known distribution along the Great Barrier
Reef down to Moreton Bay. The type locality is
unknown other than ‘Australian Seas’, Peron
and Lesueur collection (Fig. 6D).
Remarks. This species has been comprehensively redescribed by Hooper (1991), including
its morphological variability across its extensive
20
distribution, which from the present samples
has expanded into the northwestern and southwestern Pacific. The species has a very characteristic growth form that has become aptly known
as ‘birds nest‘. Sponges are typically erect, vasiform or cup-shaped, on a short stalk or attached
to substratum directly. Live colouration is also
fairly consistent and evenly pigmented dark
purple or blue-purple throughout, varying only
slightly depending on water depth and clarity.
Texture is very harsh, only slightly compressible or flexible, and difficult to tear.
DISCUSSION
The present study increases the raspailiid fauna
of the Moreton Bay region from three to eleven
species including four new species; increases
the known Australian fauna to 63 species; and
significantly expands the known geographic
ranges of many of these. Of the Moreton Bay
species three are known only so far from this
region and the southern Great Barrier Reef.
Three other species extend into the northern
tropical waters of the Northern Territory and/or
Western Australian region, and five species have
more extensive Indo-west Pacific distributions
(Table 5). The occurrence of local (apparent)
endemic species in the Moreton Bay region is
well-known, with the region being a major biogeographic transition zone between the southern
(Peronian) and northern (Solanderian) faunas.
In addition to having a peculiar mix of both
temperate and tropical species (e.g. Endean et
al. 1956), the region is known to contain approximately 30 species of marine invertebrates found
nowhere else, and which probably represent
relics from once more widespread habitats, or
still remain undetected in other enclaves along
the coast (Davie & Hooper 1998). Most of the
sponges studied here belong to the tropical fauna
are at the southern-most point in their distributions. This number of apparent endemic species
is likely to rise significantly with an increased
taxonomic effort in this region, as demonstrated
by the present discovery of new sponge species
from what was thought to be a relatively well
known fauna.
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Heft. Zoologica 24: 1– 72.
Topsent, E. 1897. Spongiaires de la Baie d’Amboine
Voyage de MM M Bedot et C Pictet dans l’Archipel
Malais. Revue Suisse de Zoologie 4: 421– 487.
1913. Spongiaires provenant des Campagnes Scientifiques de la Princesse Alice dans les Mers du
Nord (1898–1899, 1906–1907). Résultats des Campagnes
Scientifiques Accomplies sur son Yacht par Albert Ier
Prince Souverain de Monaco 45: 1– 67.
1928. Spongiaires de l’Atlantique et de la Méditerranée provenant des croisi res du Prince Albert Ier
de Monaco. Résultats des Campagnes Scientifiques
Accomplies sur son Yacht par Albert Ier Prince
Souverain de Monaco 74: 1– 376.
1932. Éponges de Lamarck conservées au Muséum
de Paris Deuxieme partie (I). Archives du Muséum
National d’Histoire Naturelle (6)8: 61– 124.
1933. Éponges de Lamarck conservées au Muséum
de Paris Fin (I). Archives du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle (6)10: 1– 60.
Vosmaer, G.C.J. 1912. On the distinction between the
genera Axinella, Phakellia, Acanthella ao. Zoologische
Jahrbucher, Jena Supplement 15: 307–322.
Whitelegge, T. 1897. The sponges of Funafuti. Memoirs
of the Australian Museum 3: 323–332.
1901. Report on sponges from the coastal beaches of
New South Wales. Records of the Australian Museum
4(2): 1–70 [55–118].
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature 2008 54(1)
Erratum: mEmoirs of thE QuEEnsland musEum — naturE 54(1)
new species of raspailiidae (Porifera: demospongiae: Poecilosclerida) from southeast Queensland
hooper, J.n.a., sutcliffe, P. & schlacher-hoenlinger, m.a.
Text to be added at the end of page 22 of Memoirs of the Queensland Museum — Nature, volume 54(1).
TABLE 1. Comparisons in the range (and mean) spicule measurements between Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa
sp. nov. and the allied R. (R.) phakellopsis Hooper 1991.
Material
Ectosomal styles
Choanosomal styles
Subectosomal styles
R. (R.) scorpa sp.
nov. (holotype
QMG315208)
R. (R.) phakellopsis
(holotype NTM
Z1950)
210-350 × 1-2 μm
(315·8 × 1·9 μm)
290-460 × 10-11 μm
(378·0 × 11·0 μm)
1000-1600 × 5-13 μm
(1288·6 × 9·0 μm)
Echinating
acanthostyles
80-140 × 4-5 μm
(125·8 × 4·9 μm)
173-302 × 0·5-3 μm
(231·0 × 1.5 μm)
311-465 × 9-8 μm
(392·7 × 13·2 μm)
820-1835 × 8-17μm
(1349·6 × 12·4 μm)
125-156 × 5-9 μm
(133·2 × 7.1 μm)
TABLE 2. Range (and mean) of spicule measurements in Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov.
Material
Choanosomal styles
Subectosomal styles
Holotype
QMG317177
350-830 × 9-12 μm
(497 × 8.53 μm)
900-1200 × 7-9 μm
(1077 × 8.2 μm)
Ectosomal styles
(anisoxeas)
140-290 × 1-2 μm
(203.50 × 1.66 μm)
Echinating
acanthostyles
50-70 × 4-6 μm
(61.43 × 4.9 μm)
TABLE 3. Range (and mean) spicule measurements in specimens of Aulospongus similiaustralis sp. nov. and
comparison with related species of Aulospongus.
Material
Holotype
QMG300079
Paratypes
QMG315526
QMG317317
QMG320085
Specimens
QMG304007
QMG304879
QMG303963
QMG317276
QMG306292
QMG315777
QMG315732
QMG315610
A. tubulatus (Bowerbank
1873) (data from
Hooper et al. 1999)
Choanosomal styles
230-380 × 9-20 μm
(300·3 × 10·8 μm)
150-350 × 8-20 μm
(248·3 × 11·8 μm)
210-435 × 10-20 μm
(342·1 × 16·1 μm)
180-370 × 6-20 μm
(292.2 × 14.1 μm)
Subectosomal tylostyles
690-1120 × 4-10 μm
(925·6 × 9·7 μm)
780-1260 × 10 μm
(974·6 × 10 μm)
800-1200 × 6-11 μm
( 955.7 × 9.4 μm)
720-1110 × 6-10 μm
(932.2 × 8.7 μm)
Echinating acanthostyles
70-255 × 2-8 m
(97·9 × 4·4μm)
60-120 × 5-7μm
(87·3 × 5·1μm)
82-150 × 5-10μm
(101·2 × 6·8μm)
65-130 × 3-6μm
(85.4 × 4.6μm)
150-340 × 12-20 μm
240-370 × 10-20 μm
190-345 × 15-20 μm
310-430 × 18-20 μm
270-440 × 8-25 μm
280-400 × 4-10 μm
270-370 × 9-18 μm
175-390 × 7-20 μm
304-462 × 16-24 µm
950-1300 × 8-15 μm
850-1050 × 10-15 μm
800-1100 × 5-10 μm
900-1250 × 5-10 μm
790 1200 × 4-11 μm
900-1410 × 6-15 μm
700-1400 × 5-15 μm
800-1350 × 4-16 μm
Absent
(ectosomal styles:
212-250 × 2-3 µm)
85-125 × 4-5 μm
80-130 × 6-12 μm
80-120 × 5- μm
80-125 × 7-11 μm
80-165 × 5-10 μm
90-130 × 6-8 μm
80-130 × 5-7 μm
80-130- × 3-5μm
109-126×5-10 µm
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum | Nature 2010 54(1)
1
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoelinger
TABLE 4. Range (and mean) spicule measurements for specimens of Echinodictyum luteum sp. nov.
Material
QMG304769
holotype
QMG317152
paratype
QMG306395
paratype
Primary
choanosomal oxeas
205-440 × 5-11μm
(269.8 × 7.37μm)
150-580 × 5-13μm
(247.5 × 8.75μm)
200-500 × 4-11μm
(287 × 6.12μm)
Secondary
choanosomal oxeas
140-320 × 2-6μm
(204.8 × 3.76μm)
110-425 × 1-7μm
(223.8 × 3.96μm)
170-400 × 1-2μm
(220.27 × 1.33μm)
Echinating acanthostyles
90-135 × 4-7μm
(117.6 × 4.84μm)
105-130 × 3-8μm
(115.6 × 5.96μm)
120-180 × 4-8μm
(141.48 × 5.6μm)
TABLE 5. Updated checklist of Raspailiidae recorded from Australian territorial waters (1, Dampierian
Province, Geraldton (Western Australia) to Cape York (Queensland). 2, Solanderian Province, Cape York
(Queensland) to Coffs Harbour (New South Wales). 3, Peronian Province, Coffs Harbour (New South Wales)
to shallow coastal regions of northern Victoria and deeper waters off northeastern Tasmania. 4, Maugean
Province, Bass Strait and shallow waters of Tasmania. 5, Flindersian Province, western Victoria to Geraldton
(Western Australia). 6, Australian Antarctic and subantarctic Territories. Provinces after Bennett & Pope
(1957). Data modiied and updated from Hooper (1991).
Species
Raspailia (Raspailia) atropurpurea (Carter, 1885)
Raspailia (Raspailia) echinata Whitelegge, 1907
Raspailia (Raspailia) kennedyi sp. nov.
Raspailia (Raspailia) gracilis (Lendenfeld, 1888)
Raspailia (Raspailia) phakellopsis Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Raspailia) pinnatiida (Carter, 1885)
Raspailia (Raspailia) scorpa sp. nov.
Raspailia (Raspailia) tenella (Lendenfeld, 1888)
Raspailia (Raspailia) vestigifera Dendy, 1896
Raspailia (Raspailia) wilkinsoni Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Clathriodendron) arbuscula
(Lendenfeld, 1888)
Raspailia (Clathriodendron) bifurcata Ridley, 1884
Raspailia (Clathriodendron) cacticutis (Carter, 1885)
Raspailia (Clathriodendron)
darwinensis Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Clathriodendron)
desmoxyiformis Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Clathriodendron) keriontria Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Clathriodendron)
melanorhops Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Clathriodendron)
paradoxa Hentschel, 1911
Raspailia (Raspa×illa) compressa Bergquist, 1970
Raspailia (Raspa×illa) frondula
(Whiteleggge, 1907)
Raspailia (Raspa×illa) reticulata Hooper, 1991
2
1
2
3
×
×
4
×
5
6
Other locality
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×?
×
×
×
New Caledonia, Vanuatu
New Zealand
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
New Zealand
×
×
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum | Nature 2010 54(1)
New Raspailiidae Sponges from SE Qld
TABLE 5. continued …
Species
Raspailia (Raspa×illa) wardi Hooper, 1991
Raspailia (Parasyringella) australiensis Ridley, 1884
Raspailia (Parasyringella) clathrata Ridley, 1884
Raspailia (Parasyringella) elegans
(Lendenfeld, 1887)
Raspailia (Parasyringella) nuda Hentschel, 1911
Raspailia (Parasyringella) stelliderma (Carter, 1885)
Raspailia (Hymeraphiopsis)
irregularis Hentschel, 1914
Aulospongus similiaustralis sp. nov.
Sollasella digitata Lendenfeld, 1888
Sollasella moretonensis Van Soest, Hooper,
Beglinger & Erpenbeck, 2006
Ectyoplasia frondosa (Lendenfeld, 1887)
Ectyoplasia tabula (Lamarck, 1814)
Ectyoplasia vannus Hooper, 1991
Endectyon elyakovi Hooper, 1991
Endectyon fruticosum aruense (Hentschel, 1912)
Endectyon thurstoni (Dendy, 1887)
Endectyon xerampelina (Lamarck, 1932)
Trikentrion labelliforme Carter, 1882
Cyamon aruense Hentschel, 1912
Eurypon graphidiophorum Hentschel, 1911
Amphinomia sulphurea Hooper, 1991
Ceratopsion dichotomum (Whitelegge, 1907)
Ceratopsion axiferum (Hentschel, 1912)
Ceratopsion clavatum Thiele, 1898
Ceratopsion montebelloense Hooper, 1991
Ceratopsion palmatum Hooper, 1991
Thrinacophora cervicornis Ridley & Dendy, 1886
Axechina raspailioides Hentschel, 1912
Echinodictyum arenosum Dendy, 1896
Echinodictyum asperum Ridley & Dendy, 1886
Echinodictyum austrinus Hooper, 1991
Echinodictyum cancellatum (Lamarck, 1814)
Echinodictyum carlinoides (Lamarck, 1814
Echinodictyum clathrioides Hentschel, 1911
Echinodictyum conulosum Kieschnick, 1900
1
×
×
2
3
4
5
6
Other locality
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
?
×
×
×
×
?
Indonesia, Thailand
E coast India
Unknown, possibly Australia
Indonesia, PNG
Indonesia
×
×
×
×
Indonesia
Japan, New Caledonia,
Papua New Guinea
×
×
×
×
×
New Caledonia
Indonesia, Philippines
Indonesia
×
×
×
×
×
×
Indo-Paciic, Tahiti to
Gulf of Manaar, Chuuk
to northern Australia
×
×
×
Indonesia
Indonesia
×
×
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum | Nature 2010 54(1)
3
Hooper, Sutcliffe & Schlacher-Hoelinger
TABLE 5. continued …
Species
Echinodictyum costiferum Ridley, 1884
Echinodictyum fruticosum Hentschel, 1911
Echinodictyum lacunosum Kieschnick, 1898
Echinodictyum luteum sp. nov.
Echinodictyum mesenterinum (Lamarck, 1814)
Echinodictyum nidulus Hentschel, 1911
Echinodictyum rugosum Ridley & Dendy, 1886
4
1
2
×
3
4
5
×
×
×
6
Other locality
×
×
×
×
×
×
×
Palau
Indo-west Paciic:
Philippines, New
Caledonia, Singapore,
Malaysia, Vietnam
×
Indonesia
Memoirs of the Queensland Museum | Nature 2010 54(1)