Amphidiscosida Temporal range:
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Specimen of Pheronema carpenteri on exhibit in Naturmuseum Senckenberg | |
Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Hexactinellida |
Subclass: |
Amphidiscophora Schulze, 1886 |
Order: |
Amphidiscosida Schrammen, 1924 [1] |
Amphidiscosida (sometimes spelled Amphidiscosa) [2] [3] is an order of hexactinellids (glass sponges). The Amphidiscosida are commonly regarded as the only living sponges in the subclass Amphidiscophora. [4] [5]
As the name implies, the Amphidiscosida are characterized by a special type of microsclere (microscopic spicules): amphidiscs. Amphidiscs are rod-like spicules with an equal-sized umbel (a whorl of backswept hooks) at each end. The skeleton is primarily formed by megascleres (large spicules). In living species, most megascleres are pentactinal (five-rayed), though fossil species often have a more diverse set of megascleres. [2] Amphidiscosids are often covered with prostalia (bristles), formed by single-rayed spicules. In a few species, basalia (long rooting bristles) in the lower part of the body are bundled together to suspend the body above the seabed as an anchoring structure. [2] [6]
The oldest fossilized amphidiscs are from the Carboniferous, but sponge fossils with spicules similar to Amphidiscosida have existed since the Cambrian period. [2] [3] Three families still flourish in deep marine waters today.
Amphidiscosida Temporal range:
| |
---|---|
| |
Specimen of Pheronema carpenteri on exhibit in Naturmuseum Senckenberg | |
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Hexactinellida |
Subclass: |
Amphidiscophora Schulze, 1886 |
Order: |
Amphidiscosida Schrammen, 1924 [1] |
Amphidiscosida (sometimes spelled Amphidiscosa) [2] [3] is an order of hexactinellids (glass sponges). The Amphidiscosida are commonly regarded as the only living sponges in the subclass Amphidiscophora. [4] [5]
As the name implies, the Amphidiscosida are characterized by a special type of microsclere (microscopic spicules): amphidiscs. Amphidiscs are rod-like spicules with an equal-sized umbel (a whorl of backswept hooks) at each end. The skeleton is primarily formed by megascleres (large spicules). In living species, most megascleres are pentactinal (five-rayed), though fossil species often have a more diverse set of megascleres. [2] Amphidiscosids are often covered with prostalia (bristles), formed by single-rayed spicules. In a few species, basalia (long rooting bristles) in the lower part of the body are bundled together to suspend the body above the seabed as an anchoring structure. [2] [6]
The oldest fossilized amphidiscs are from the Carboniferous, but sponge fossils with spicules similar to Amphidiscosida have existed since the Cambrian period. [2] [3] Three families still flourish in deep marine waters today.