Genus Higginsia Higgin, 1877
- Higginsia Higgin, T.H. 1877. Description of some sponges obtained during a cruise of the steamyacht Argo in the Caribbean and neighbouring seas. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 4 19: 291-299 pl. 14 [291].
Type species:
Higginsia coralloides Higgin, 1877 by subsequent designation, see Hallmann, E.F. 1917. A revision of the genera with microscleres included, or provisionally included, in the family Axinellidae, with descriptions of some Australian species. Part 3. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 41: 634-675 4 figs pls 29/3, 5-6, 33/6, 38/5 [656]. - Dendropsis Ridley, S.O. & Dendy, A. 1886. Preliminary report on the Monaxonida collected by H.M.S. Challenger. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 5 18: 325-351, 470-493 [483].
Type species:
Dendropsis bidentifera Ridley & Dendy, 1886 by monotypy.
Taxonomic Decision for Synonymy
- Hallmann, E.F. 1917. A revision of the genera with microscleres included, or provisionally included, in the family Axinellidae, with descriptions of some Australian species. Part 3. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 41: 634-675 4 figs pls 29/3, 5-6, 33/6, 38/5 [655]
- van Soest, R.W.M. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2005. Resurrection of Desmoxya (Porifera: Halichondrida), with the description of a new species from Rockall Bank bathyal coral reefs, North Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 85: 1367-1371 [1367]
Distribution
States
New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia
Extra Distribution Information
Amphi-Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, S Africa, W and E Indian Ocean, Indo-Malayan region, W and E Pacific Ocean.
IMCRA
Timor Transition (1), Northern Shelf Province (25), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Western Bass Strait Shelf Transition (34), Bass Strait Shelf Province (35), Southeast Shelf Transition (37), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)
Distribution References
Diagnosis
Higginsia sensu stricto was restricted to include only those former Higginsia species that display an elaborate skeleton with axial and extra-axial components, as well as a differentiation in megascleres into distinct stylote and oxeote spicules (one exception, Higginsia thielei Topsent, 1904 has an elaborate reticulate skeleton of oxeas as the only megasclere type). The acanthoxeas usually are centrangulate, but this may be indistinct in some species (Van Soest & Hooper 2005).
Emended from Hooper (2002): 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 with axial and extra-axial reticulate or plumo-reticulate region (compared to a compressed axis and a radial, non-plumose extra-axial region in Dendropsis), to a lax plumose or plumo-reticulate structure, without axial compression or regional differentiation of the skeleton in 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 styles, or sometimes modified further to strongylote megascleres with bifurcated points. Ectosome with a protruding extra-axial skeleton composed of longer oxeas and styles, and smaller oxeas/styles forming sparse brushes or tangential layers on the surface. Megascleres oxeas (sometimes strongyles) and styles of 1–3 sizes. Microscleres spined, centrangulate curved or straight microxeas, and sometimes also raphides occurring singly or in bundles (trichodragmata).
ID Keys
See Family Desmoxyidae Diagnosis
Diagnosis References
Hooper, J.N.A. 2002. Family Desmoxyidae Hallmann, 1916. pp. 755-772 in Hooper, J.N.A. & van Soest, R.W.M. (eds). Systema Porifera: A guide to the classification of sponges. New York : Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers Vol. 1. [763]
van Soest, R.W.M. & Hooper, J.N.A. 2005. Resurrection of Desmoxya (Porifera: Halichondrida), with the description of a new species from Rockall Bank bathyal coral reefs, North Atlantic. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 85: 1367-1371 [1371]
History of changes
| Published | As part of group | Action Date | Action Type | Compiler(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29-Mar-2018 | 15-Dec-2011 | MOVED | ||
| 29-Mar-2018 | 13-Apr-2011 | MODIFIED | ||
| 12-Feb-2010 | (import) |