Rossellidae Explained

Rossellidae is a family of glass sponges belonging to the order Lyssacinosa. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution and is found at a large range of depths (NaNm (-2,147,483,648feet), and likely deeper).

Description

The body is usually a cup-like structure. In stalked forms the body can be mushroom-like. Spicules protruding beyond the sponge surface, when present, are diactines (spicules with two pointed arms) or specialised outwardly protruding hypodermal pentactines (five pointed spicules).

The choanosomal skeleton consists of diactines, sometimes together with less frequent hexactines (spicules with six prongs). A large variety of microscleres occur in this family, including a variety of holactinoidal and asterous spicules.

Subfamilies and genera

, WoRMS recognizes three subfamilies and twenty-six genera in the family:^[1]

• • • Subfamily Acanthascinae Acanthascus
  • Rhabdocalyptus
  • Staurocalyptus
    • Subfamily Lanuginellinae Calycosoma
  • Caulophacus
  • Doconesthes
  • Lanuginella
  • Lanugonychia
  • Lophocalyx
  • Mellonympha
  • Sympagella
    • Subfamily Rossellinae Anoxycalyx
  • Aphorme
  • Asconema
  • Aulosaccus
  • Bathydorus
  • Crateromorpha
  • Hyalascus
  • Nodastrella
  • Rossella ^[2]
  • Schaudinnia
  • Scyphidium
  • Symplectella
    • • Trichasterina Vazella
  • Vitrollula

Further reading

• Dohrmann, M. ; C. Göcke ; J. Reed & D. Janussen, 2012: Integrative taxonomy justifies a new genus, Nodastrella gen. nov., for North Atlantic "Rossella" species (Porifera: Hexactinellida: Rossellidae). Zootaxa 3383: 1-13.
• Sautya, S.; Tabachnick, K.R.; Ingole, B. 2010: First record of Hyalascus (Hexactinellida: Rossellidae) from the Indian Ocean, with description of a new species from a volcanic seamount in the Andaman Sea. Zootaxa, 2667: 64-68

Notes and References

1. 131694. Rossellidae Schulze, 1885. van Soest, R. . 2010. Porifera. 12 November 2017.
2. Web site: World Porifera Database - Species - Rossella Carter, 1872 . www.marinespecies.org . 23 March 2021.