Crateromorpha Gray

Menshenina, Larisa L., Tabachnick, Konstantin R. & Janussen, Dorte, 2007, Revision of the subgenus Neopsacas (Hexactinellida, Rossellidae, Crateromorpha) with the description of new species and subspecies, Zootaxa 1463, pp. 55-68 : 56

Genus: Crateromorpha Gray in Carter, 1872

Subgenus: Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) Tabachnick, 2002

Synonymy

Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) Tabachnick, 2002: 1479 .

Type species

Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) variata Tabachnick, 2002 (by primary designation).

Differenciated diagnosis

Crateromorpha with hypodermal-hypoatrial spicules having spines near the spicule centre.

Diagnosis, revised

Body is bell-like or ovoid, basiphytous with long peduncle. The choanosomal skeleton is composed chiefly of diactins, rarely tauactins, stauractins and pentactins. The spicules of the peduncle are diactins fused to each other by synapticula. Dermalia and atrialia are similar to each other and contain mostly pentactins and diactins or diactins only. Hypodermalia and hypoatrialia (when present) are mostly pentactins sometimes hexactins with spines near the spicule centre. Microscleres are various in different species: discoidal, spiny spicules with 1-(usually 5)–6 rays; drepanocomes; hexasters and hemihexasters with discoidal, onychoidal and oxyoidal outer ends.

Remarks

Discovery of new species have led to further overlap of features between Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) and other subgenera of Crateromorpha . Differences in microsclere composition have become less distinctive, and now the most important feature to distinguish Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) from other subgenera is presence of spines situated close to the spicule centre in hypodermal and hypoatrial hexactins. Dermal and atrial spicules are rare in some specimens and do not seem to form continuous layers in Crateromorpha (Neopsacas) .