Chondropsidae

Van, Rob W. M., 2009, New sciophilous sponges from the Caribbean (Porifera: Demospongiae), Zootaxa 2107, pp. 1-40 : 23

Key to the Chondropsidae species of the Caribbean

The skeleton is made up of thin strongyles, arranged in plumose bundles; no separate ectosomal skeleton; microscleres if present arcuate or unguiferate isochelae and/or sigmas.

1 Microscleres (chelae and / or sigmas) present .............................................................................................................. 4

- No microscleres ............................................................................................................................................................ 2

2 Thin smooth crusts....................................................................................................................................................... 3

- Tubular sponges .................................................................................................................... Strongylacidon bermudae

3 Color mottled brown (keeps in alcohol) ...................................................................................... Batzella fusca n. sp.

- Color rose (off-white in alcohol); strongyles often crooked................................................................... Batzella rosea

4 Chelae present (may be rare) ........................................................................................................................................ 6

- No chelae, only microscleres present are sigmas ......................................................................................................... 5

5 Color green (keeps in alcohol), a single category of sigmas ....................................................... Strongylacidon viride

- Color red (white in alcohol)...................................................................................................... Strongylacidon rubrum

6 Chelae unguiferate ....................................................................................................................................................... 7

- Chelae arcuate, no sigmas..................................................................................................... Strongylacidon poriticola

7 Strongyles less than 200 µm, sigmas present .......................................................................... Strongylacidon griseum

- Strongyles 200–300 µm, no sigmas......................................................................... Strongylacidon unguiferum n. sp.