taxonID	type	description	language	source
504AC11A9E37C130BE81C77A2B430E9D.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Ascoleuceta compressa Dendy & Frederick, 1924. Diagnosis: Leucetidae with copiously branched and anastomosed choanocyte tubes covered by a well-developed cortex formed mainly by spicules measuring at least twice the size of the spicules present in the choanocyte tubes. Tese tubes are, in part, organized parallel to each other. Te exhalant aquiferous system is represented by a well-developed atrium delimited by a membrane with no choanoderm, supported by a specific skeleton of triactines and / or tetractines. Apical actine of the tetractines is without spines. Aquiferous system is solenoid (modified from Cavalcanti et al. 2013).	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E37C131BD8FC0E729A30EE2.taxon	description	(Figs 9, 10; Table 5) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 43 F 7 B 46 A- 982 A- 4774 - 8 D 93 - 307 FEE 2 C 1 F 12 Etymology: From the type locality, the GAB. Diagnosis: Ascoleuceta with a globular body and single osculum. Cortex with large triactines and small triactines. Choanocyte tubes with few huge triactines and many small triactines and tetractines. Atrialskeletoncomposedofsmalltriactinesandfewlargetriactines. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1917, GAB, 33 ° 20 ʹ 13 ″ S, 130 ° 15 ʹ 27 ″ E, depth: 189 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 395, 15 December 2015. Paratype, SAMA S 1875, GAB, 34 ° 16 ʹ 33 ″ S, 132 ° 41 ʹ 29 ″ E, depth: 209 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 179, 7 December 2015. Additional material examined: SAMA S 1880, GAB, 34 ° 16 ʹ 33 ″ S, 132 ° 41 ʹ 29 ″ E, depth: 209 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 179, 7 December 2015. SAMA S 1934, GAB, 33 ° 22 ʹ 00 ″ S, 130 ° 44 ʹ 08 ″ E, depth: 198 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 398, 15 December 2015. Colour: Beige in ethanol (Fig. 9 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge globular to subglobular, with single and simple apical osculum. Te cortex is formed by irregular and tightly anastomosed tubes (Fig. 9 A – C). In the choanosome, tubes are larger and run almost parallel to each other, hence the anastomosis is not evident (Fig. 9 B). Te atrium resembles a tube. Aquiferous system solenoid. Te inhalant canals do not have any ornamentation or have few trichoxeas (e. g. SAMA S 1880; Fig. 9 C). Te cortical skeleton is composed of large and small triactines (Fig. 9 C), and the choanosome has large and small triactines and also tetractines. Te atrial skeleton is composed mostly of small triactines, but large triactines are also present (Fig. 9 D). Te small triactines are, in fact, two different types of spicules, conical or cylindrical. Tetractines are always cylindrical. Spicules (Table 5) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate) or sagital. Actines are conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 10 A). Frequently, they have at least one actine undulated or bent in the specimen SAMA S 1875. Size: 486.0 (± 101.2) / 52.8 (± 10.7) µm. Small conical triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with blunt to rounded tips (Fig. 10 B). Size: 189.4 (± 36.4) / 18.1 (± 3.5) µm. Small cylindrical triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate) or sagital. Actines are cylindrical, with blunt to rounded tips (Fig. 10 C). Size: 135.0 (± 20.1) / 9.1 (± 1.1) µm. Small tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate) or sagital. Actines are cylindrical, with blunt to rounded tips (Fig. 10 D). Te apical actine is very thin (needle-like), sharp, smooth, and, frequently, undulated (Fig. 10 E). Size: basal, 135.8 (± 15.4) / 9.1 (± 1.0) µm; apical, 96.5 (± 22.5) / 4.5 (± 0.6) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from three localities in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found in depths ranging from 189 to 209 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Taxonomic remarks: Tere are currently only two species of Ascoleuceta: Ascoleuceta compressa, the type species of the genus, originally described from Abrolhos Island (Australia) and Ascoleuceta oentricosa (Carter, 1886), a species from Port Phillip Heads (Australia). Ascoleuceta gabensis can be differentiated from both mainly by the shape of the actines of the small triactines and tetractines, which are conical in the known species and cylindrical in the new one, and by the absence of tetractines in the atrial skeleton. In addition, the larger triactines have much longer actines in the new species (512.4 / 53.8 µm, in comparison to 204.4 / 36.5 µm in Ascoleuceta compressa and 274.6 / 53.7 µm in Ascoleuceta oentricosa; Cavalcanti et al. 2013). Other differences are also present, such as the presence of microdiactines in Ascoleuceta oentricosa. Te specimen SAMA S 1917, collected in December 2015, is full of embryos and larvae. Cavalcanti et al. (2013) mentioned the presence of reproductive elements in the holotype of Ascoleuceta oentricosa, collected in April 2002 at 59 m depth.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E34C133BF5EC1DF29D50D10.taxon	description	(Figs 11, 12; Table 6) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: E 80690 CC- A 7 AD- 44 D 6 - 8 FA 5 - D 513 DAF 579 A 8 Etymology: For the globular shape of the body. Diagnosis: Ascoleuceta with a globular body and single osculum. Cortex with large and small triactines. Choanocyte tubes with small tetractines and some small triactines. Atrial skeleton composed of small triactines and tetractines. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1861, GAB, 35 ° 02 ʹ 17 ″ S, 134 ° 05 ʹ 42 ″ E, depth: 221 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 128, 4 December 2015. Paratype, SAMA S 1876, GAB, 34 ° 16 ʹ 33 ″ S, 132 ° 41 ʹ 29 ″ E, depth: 209 m, coll. GABRP, IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 179, 7 December 2015. SAMA S 1909, GAB, 33 ° 25 ʹ 04 ″ S, 131 ° 02 ʹ 26 ″ E, depth: 218 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 191, 8 December 2015. Additional material examined: SAMA S 1895, SAMA S 1896, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, depth: 283 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. SAMA S 1907, GAB, 33 ° 25 ʹ 04 ″ S, 131 ° 02 ʹ 26 ″ E, depth: 218 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 191, 8 December 2015. Colour: Beige or light grey in ethanol (Fig. 11 A, B). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge globular to subglobular, formed by irregular and tightly anastomosed tubes in the cortex (Fig. 11 A) and by larger and less anastomosed tubes internally (Fig. 11 B). Near the cortex, the tubes run in parallel to each other in the direction of the atrium (Fig. 11 C). In some areas of the cortex, the anastomosis is so tight that it is almost continuous. Tere are several specimens of this species. In some of them it was possible to recognize a small, simple apical osculum with a small cavity, with a delicate membrane, below it. Aquiferous system solenoid. Te cortex is composed of large and small triactines (Fig. 11 D). Tey are randomly spread, not organized. No ornamentations were found. In the choanocyte tubes there are small triactines and tetractines, the later being more abundant (Fig. 11 E). Te atrial skeleton is composed of approximately the same proportion of small triactines and tetractines (Fig. 11 F). Tese atrial spicules appear to be slightly bigger than those of the choanocyte tubes. Spicules (Table 6) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical to slightly conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 12 A). Size: 259.1 (± 28.9) / 20.5 (± 3.7) µm. Small triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical, with blunt tips (Fig. 12 B). Size: 139.9 (± 29.3) / 8.7 (± 1.1) µm. Small tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical, with blunt tips (Fig. 12 C). Te apical actine is very thin (needle-like), smooth, frequently undulated, with a sharp tip (Fig. 12 D). Size: basal, 135.1 (± 15.6) / 8.9 (± 1.2) µm; apical, 81.8 (± 33.9) / 5.7 (± 1.2) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from four localities in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found in depths ranging from 209 to 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Tere was a shrimp found inside specimen SAMA S 1876 and bryozoans found inside specimen SAMA S 1861. Two crustaceans were found in the atrium of specimen SAMA S 1896, and a bryozoan was also found atached to the outside of this specimen. Remarks: Ascoleuceta globularis can be differentiated easily from Ascoleuceta compressa and Ascoleuceta oentricosa by the shape of the actines of the small spicules, which are cylindrical in the new species and conical in the other two. Te new species is much more similar to the previous described species, Ascoleuceta gabensis. Although similar in the globular shape and in the spicular composition, the large triactines of Ascoleuceta gabensis are much larger than in Ascoleuceta globularis (Ascoleuceta gabensis, 512.4 / 53.8 µm; Ascoleuceta globularis, 259.1 / 20.5 µm). In addition, very large triactines are present in the cortex of Ascoleuceta gabensis, in the choanocyte tubes, and in the atrial skeleton, whereas in Ascoleuceta globularis the larger triactines are restricted to the cortex. Another important difference is the presence of tetractines in the atrial skeleton of the present species, whereas Ascoleuceta gabensis has only triactines surrounding the atrium.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E34C138BD9DC53928910C26.taxon	description	(Figs 13, 14; Table 7) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: A 692 EE 00 - 4 D 1 F- 42 C 4 - 96 AC- 2 E 447676 FA 87 Etymology: Fortheparallelchoanocytetubes (Latin = parallelus). Diagnosis: Ascoleuceta subspherical to vasiform, with a single osculum. Cortex with very large and small triactines. Below the cortex, two choanocyte tubes fuse and run in parallel towards the atrium. Choanocyte tubes with small tetractines and some small triactines. Atrial skeleton composed mostly of small triactines, few very large triactines, and rare small and large tetractines. Boomerang spicules can be present. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1915, GAB, 33 ° 20 ʹ 13 ″ S, 130 ° 15 ʹ 27 ″ E, depth: 189 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 395, 15 December 2015. Colour: Beige in ethanol (Fig. 13 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge massive, sof, subspherical to vasiform, formed by regular and tightly anastomosed tubes surrounded by a continuous and smooth thin cortex (Fig. 13 A). Te osculum is apical, without ornamentations. Frequently, two inhalant tubes fuse and run as a single tube towards the atrium (Fig. 13 B), such that the tubes run in parallel, leaving empty spaces among them near the atrium. Te atrium is similar to a long and large tube, sinuous and covered by pinacocytes. Aquiferous system solenoid. Te choanocyte tubes are full of larvae (Fig. 13 B). Te cortex is composed of large and small triactines (Fig. 13 C). Te choanocyte tubes have small triactines and tetractines, but tetractines are more abundant. Te apical actine of the tetractines are directed towards the lumen of the choanosomal tubes (Fig. 13 D). Te atrial skeleton has small triactines and a few large triactines, similar to those of the cortex (Fig. 13 E). Rare small tetractines are also found. Large tetractines were easily found in the spicule slides. Teir location in the sponge was not determined; however, in one section two of these spicules were found near the atrium. Triactines without one actine, i. e. diactines with a boomerang shape, were rare, such that they were not considered to be a separate category. Spicules (Table 7) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 14 A). Te size of these spicules is very variable. Size: 420.5 (± 119.3) / 36.5 (± 8.9) µm. Large tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 14 B). Te size of these spicules is very variable. Size: basal, 265.8 (± 44.7) / 18.0 (± 5.4) µm; apical, 229.7 (± 38.2) / 18.9 (± 3.8) µm. Small triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but a few sagital spicules were also found. Actines are cylindrical, with blunt tips (Fig. 14 C). Size: 128.8 (± 19.8) / 8.2 (± 1.2) µm. Small tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but a few sagital were also found. Actines are cylindrical, with blunt tips (Fig. 14 D). Te apical actine is very thin (needle-like) and sharp, curved or straight but frequently undulated. It is smooth (Fig. 14 D). Size: basal, 131.9 (± 14.6) / 8.3 (± 0.7) µm; apical, 79.7 (± 24.1) / 3.6 (± 1.0) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from only the type locality in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 189 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Remarks: Ascoleuceta parallela is very similar to the other species of Ascoleuceta found in the GAB; however, this was the only species in which large tetractines (possibly from the atrial skeleton) were found in addition to boomerang spicules, i. e. triactines that have lost one of their actines. Tis species had conspicuous parallel tubes; however, as the sponge was reproducing, we cannot be sure whether the organization of the tubes is the result of reproduction. Considering these characters, this new species is differentiated from all other species of Ascoleuceta. Curiously, boomerang spicules were also found in Leucascus boomerang, which draws atention to this type of spicule being present in at least two different genera of Calcinea from the GAB. Some species of Rowella also have pygmy triactines with one reduced actine, described as ‘ V-shaped’ by Lopes and Klautau (2023). Grantessa boomerang (Dendy, 1893) (Calcaronea) also contains boomerang spicules in its skeleton. Dendy (1893) considered them to be bent diactines, whereas in Ascoleuceta parallela, Leucascus boomerang, and Rowella spp. boomerang spicules are modified triactines with one reduced actine.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E3FC13ABF75C4C228330FFD.taxon	description	(Figs 15, 16; Table 8) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 46 BC 273 E- 5 FEE- 4 B 4 A- 9 C 55 - D 7 C 916 B 1 FEAC Etymology: For the flat shape of the body (Latin = planus). Diagnosis: Ascoleuceta oval and flat, with a single osculum. Cortex with large and small triactines. Choanocyte tubes with small triactines and tetractines. Atrial skeleton with small triactines and few small tetractines. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1874, GAB, 34 ° 16 ʹ 33 ″ S, 132 ° 41 ʹ 29 ″ E, depth: 209 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 179, 7 December 2015. Colour: White to light grey in ethanol (Fig. 15 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge massive, approximately oval, flat, formed by regular and tightly anastomosed tubes on its external surface (Fig. 15 A). Internally, these tubes are larger and less anastomosed and run in parallel mostly near the cortex (Fig. 15 B). Te osculum is a single, large and lateral aperture. Underneath it, there is a true wide and smooth atrial cavity (1.8 cm in diameter). Te body wall is thin (0.15 cm thick). Aquiferous system solenoid. Te body is entirely covered by a continuous cortex composed of large and small triactines (Fig. 15 C, D). Te inhalant apertures surrounded by the triactines give the cortex a beehive appearance (Fig. 15 C). Tese apertures are sometimes surrounded by a few tufs of trichoxeas. In the choanosome are found small triactines and tetractines. Near the atrium, the exhalant canals are surrounded by the tetractines (Fig. 15 E, F). Tey project their thin (needle-like) apical actines into the lumen (Fig. 15 E). Te atrial skeleton is composed mainly of triactines, but there are also a few tetractines (Fig. 15 F). Spicules (Table 8) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are slightly conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 16 A). Size: 262.0 (± 65.6) / 25.5 (± 6.2) µm. Small triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical and undulated, with blunt to sharp tips (Fig. 16 B). Size: 121.1 (± 20.9) / 10.5 (± 2.2) µm. Small tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical, with blunt to sharp tips (Fig. 16 C). Te apical actine is very thin (needle-like), sometimes undulated, with a sharp tip (Fig. 16 D). Tey are so thin that sometimes they are similar to trichoxeas. Size: basal, 131.4 (± 31.0) / 12.0 (± 2.3) µm; apical, 66.1 (± 22.1) / 4.2 (± 1.0) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from only the type locality in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 209 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Remarks: Te DNA of Ascoleuceta plana was published in the study by Lopes et al. (2018) as being from Ascoleuceta compressa. Although both species are morphologically very similar, they can be differentiated by the size (Table 8) and shape of the small triactines and tetractines, which are cylindrical in Ascoleuceta plana and conical in Ascoleuceta compressa. In addition, the new species has almost the same amount of triactines and tetractines, or triactines are more abundant, whereas the small tetractines are much more abundant than the small triactines in Ascoleuceta compressa. Considering the other three new species described in this study, Ascoleuceta plana can be differentiated from Ascoleuceta gabensis by the size of the huge triactines of the later (Ascoleuceta gabensis, 512.4 / 53.8 µm; Ascoleuceta plana, 262.0 / 25.5 µm). Moreover, the atrial skeleton of Ascoleuceta gabensis has only triactines, whereas Ascoleuceta plana has triactines and tetractines. Te species can be differentiated from Ascoleuceta globularis by the shape of the body, which is globular in Ascoleuceta globularis and flater in the present Calcinea from deep-sea South Australia • 27 species, and by the abundance of triactines in the present species, whereas Ascoleuceta globularis has more tetractines in the choanocyte tubes and abundant tetractines in the atrial skeleton. Comparison with Ascoleuceta parallela indicates that the most important differences are the presence of large tetractines and boomerang spicules in the later species.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E20C127BF7BC61F2E7B0F57.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Grantia clathrus Schmidt, 1864. Diagnosis: ‘ Calcineainwhichthecormuscomprisesanastomosed tubes. A stalk may be present. Te skeleton contains regular (equiangular and equiradiate) and / or parasagital triactines, to which diactines and tripods may be added. Asconoid aquiferous system’ (Klautau et al. 2013).	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E20C12ABD8BC7722BF60FB4.taxon	description	(Fig. 4; Table 2) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 33 FC 6 FA 6 - 7313 - 48 B 6 - B 90 C-AE 0 C 0 F 7 E 7 B 14 Etymology: For Alan Williams (CSIRO, Australia), deep sea ecologist who led the seafloor biodiversity team that collected these sponges. Diagnosis: Clathrina with tightly anastomosed tubes and three categories of triactines: one larger, conical, and rare and the other two smaller, cylindrical to slightly conical, and abundant. Cells with granules are present. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1885, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, depth: 283 m, coll. Great Australian Bight Research Program (GABRP), site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. Paratype, SAMA S 3682, collection details same as holotype. Colour: Beige to light brown in ethanol (Fig. 4 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge amorphous. Cormus formed by thin, irregular, and tightly anastomosed tubes (Fig. 4 A). One closed tube was observed at the apical region. It is, perhaps, a water-collecting tube. Aquiferous system asconoid. Cells with granules were observed. Te skeleton is composed of three categories of triactines (Fig. 4 B). Tere are orange embryos inside the cormus (Fig. 4 C). Te category with conical actines is rare. Tis category is always present on the surface of the tubes (Fig. 4 B). Te other two categories have cylindrical actines. Te category with the thinnest actines is the most abundant (Fig. 4 D). Spicules (Table 2) Triactine I: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Rare. Actines are stout, with sharp tips (Fig. 4 E). Size: 237.4 (± 67.4) / 24.0 (± 6.8) µm. Triactine II: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical to slightly conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 4 F). Size: 197.3 (± 38.1) / 12.1 (± 1.3) µm. Triactine III: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but it is common to find spicules with one actine shorter or larger than the others. Tis is the most abundant category. Actines are cylindrical, with sharp tips. Tey are frequently undulated (Fig. 4 G). Size: 134.8 (± 17.5) / 7.6 (± 0.9) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known only from the type locality. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt), associated with radiolarians, shrimps, and polychaetes. Taxonomic remarks: Tere are three species of Clathrina with threecategoriesoftriactines: Clathrinadelicata Fontana, Cóndor-Luján, Azevedo, Pérez & Klautau, 2018 from Martinique, Clathrina laminoclathrata Carter, 1886 from South Australia, and Clathrina nuroensis Azevedo, Cóndor-Luján, Willenz, Hajdu, Hooker & Klautau, 2015 from Peru. Clathrina delicata has large and loosely anastomosed tubes, whereas the new species has thin and tightly anastomosed tubes. Clathrina laminoclathrata and C. nuroensis do not have spicules with cylindrical actines. All the three categories of triactines have conical actines, whereas the new species has one category with conical actines and the other two with cylindrical actines.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E2AC130BF55C53D2B030C8D.taxon	description	(Figs 7, 8; Table 4) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: C 8 C 3 FC 3 E- 65 CA- 4393 - 93 DA- 42 BCC 359 C 82 A Etymology: For the peculiar shape of some spicules, which seem to be triactines and tetractines that lost one of the basal actines, becoming similar to a boomerang. Diagnosis: Leucascus with cortical and atrial skeletons composed of triactines and common, but not abundant, tetractines. Choanosomal skeleton with the same proportions of triactines and tetractines. Deformed triactines and tetractines, with only two actines, are also present. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1886, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, depth: 283 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. Paratype, SAMA S 1953, GAB, 33 ° 21 ʹ 56 ″ S, 130 ° 44 ʹ 52 ″ E, depth: 198 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 398, 15 December 2015. Colour: White in ethanol (Fig. 7 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge massive, sof, subspherical to vasiform, formed by tightly anastomosed tubes surrounded by a continuous and smooth thin cortex (Fig. 7 A – C). Te osculum is single, apically located, and it is surrounded by a delicate membrane. Below it there is a large atrium with pinacocytes. Aquiferous system solenoid (Fig. 7 D). The cortex (Fig. 7 C), the choanosomal tubes (Fig. 7 E), and the atrial membrane (Fig. 7 F) are composed of triactines; however, tetractines can also be found. They are not abundant and are present mainly in the interior of the tubes (Fig. 7 E). Given that the atrial membrane has mostly triactines, the atrium is smooth (Fig. 7 F). The size of the spicules is very variable, but it is possible to observe that the largest triactines are present mainly in the cortical membrane. Triactines and tetractines without one of the basal actines were also observed. Spicules (Table 4) Triactine: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but it is also easy to find non-equiradiate spicules. Actines are conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 8 A). Sometimes there is a constriction at the middle of the actine. Under light microscopy, it is possible to see a mark at the centre of the spicules, forming a triangle. Tere are also spicules without one of the basal actines. Tey are similar to a boomerang (Fig. 8 B). Te size of these spicules is highly variable, some being larger and others being tiny (from 13.5 / 2.7 to 43.2 / 6.8 µm). Given that these tiny triactines could be young forms, we did not consider them to calculate the mean size of the spicules and did not include them in the table. Size: 116.9 (± 21.3) / 12.6 (± 2.1) µm. Tetractine: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but there are also non-equiradiate spicules. Actines are conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 8 C). Some spicules present a constriction near the middle of the actine. Under light microscopy, it was possible to see a triangle at the centre of the spicules. Boomerangs were also observed. Te apical actine is very thin (needle-like), frequently curved at the tip and covered with short spines (Fig. 8 D); however, several are smooth (Fig. 8 E). Although these spicules also have variable sizes, they vary less than the triactines. Size: basal, 101.5 (± 19.8) / 10.9 (± 1.6) µm; apical, 54.2 (± 11.5) / 4.1 (± 0.9) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from only two localities in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found in depths ranging from 189 to 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Taxonomic remarks: In Australia and nearby (Indonesia and New Caledonia), three species of Leucascus with only triactines and tetractines have been described: Leucascus simplex Dendy 1892, Leucascus flaous Cavalcanti, Rapp & Klautau, 2013, and Leucascus neocaledonicus Borojević & Klautau, 2000.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E2AC130BF55C53D2B030C8D.taxon	description	Although our specimens are very similar to Leucascus neocaledonicus, there are some differences between them. Leucascus neocaledonicus is lobate, with several oscula, whereas Leucascus boomerang is subspherical to vasiform, with a single osculum. Te spicules of Leucascus boomerang also have a different shape; some have a constriction in the middle of the actine and can have one reduced actine. Moreover, the apical actines of our specimens are thinner, more needle-like, and some of them are smooth. Consequently, we identify the specimens from the GAB as a new species.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E2AC12DBF40C3ED2AC30D1D.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Leucascus simplex Dendy, 1892. Diagnosis: ‘ Copiously branched and anastomosed choanocyte tubes covered by a continuous membrane. Te exhalant aquiferous system is represented by a well-developed atrium delimited by a membrane with no choanoderm, supported by a specific skeleton of triactines and / or tetractines. Te size of the spicules of the choanocyte tubes and of the cortical and atrial membranes is similar. Apical actine of the tetractines ornamented with spines. Solenoid aquiferous system’ (Cavalcanti et al. 2013).	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E3DC13BBDBDC701297D0FEC.taxon	description	(Figs 17, 18; Table 9) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 3 CA 574 D 4 - 0 ED 4 - 4534 - BE 3 C-CD 167 F 5 FB 146 Etymology: For the conspicuous cortex of this species (Latin conspicuus = conspicuous). Diagnosis: Leuceta with a conspicuous cortex formed only by small triactines. Choanosome composed of large triactines and small triactines and tetractines. Te tetractines are restricted mainly to the inhalant canals. Atrial skeleton with triactines. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1854, GAB, 35 ° 02 ʹ 17 ″ S, 135 ° 05 ʹ 42 ″ E, depth: 221 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 128, 4 December 2015. Colour: Brown in ethanol (Fig. 17 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge amorphous, massive, consistency firm and hard or friable. Osculum apical and large. Surface smooth but with ridges (Fig. 17 A). Te body wall is 0.4 cm thick and full of canals. Te atrium is large (1.5 cm), smooth, with several spherical exhalant canals. Aquiferous system leuconoid. Te cortical skeleton is thick and conspicuous, composed of small triactines (Fig. 17 B – D), which are also present in the choanosome (Fig. 17 E) and in the atrium (Fig. 17 F); however, they are frequently larger (> 13 µm) in the cortical and atrial skeletons than in the choanosome. Immediately below the cortex are inhalant canals (Fig. 17 D). Te choanosome has the small triactines, large triactines, and tetractines (Fig. 17 E). Tese tetractines surround the canals, which are also surrounded by the small triactines (Fig. 17 F). Te tetractines are present mainly in the inhalant canals. Near the atrium there are several exhalant canals supported by triactines. Te atrial skeleton is thin, composed only of triactines and tetractines (Fig. 17 F). Spicules (Table 9) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with sharp tips (Fig. 18 A) and variable sizes. Size: 540.5 (± 158.9) / 68.6 (± 18.3) µm. Small triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 18 B). Size: 129.2 (± 21.1) / 11.4 (± 1.8) µm. Small tetractines: Regular or sagital. Actines are conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 18 C). Te apical actine is smooth and very thin (needle-like; Fig. 18 D), but thick apical actines were found in the bigger spicules. Tey are rarer than the thin apical actines. Size: basal, 161.5 (± 20.6) / 14.4 (± 2.5) µm; apical, 113.1 (± 101.8) / 7.8 (± 3.2) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known from only the type locality in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 221 m on the edge of continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Taxonomic remarks: Te current diagnosis of Leuceta is: ‘ Leucetidae with a homogeneous organisation of the wall and a typical leuconoid aquiferous system. Tere is neither a clear distinction between the cortex and the choanoskeleton, nor the presence of a distinct layer of subcortical inhalant cavities (lacunae). Te atrium is frequently reduced to a system of exhalant canals that open directly into the osculum, or it may be a large cavity’ (Borojević et al. 2002, Valderrama et al. 2009). Te new species does not fit exactly within this diagnosis because it has a conspicuous cortex. Considering that some Leuceta species have spicule categories restricted to the cortex and that Leuceta conspicua has a conspicuous cortex and grouped with other species of Leuceta and Pericharax in our molecular tree, we propose the following new diagnosis for Leuceta: Leucetidae with a typical leuconoid aquiferous system. Most species have no clear distinction between the cortex and the choanoskeleton. A distinct layer of subcortical inhalant cavities (lacunae) is not present, but sometimes the body wall is full of canals. Te atrium is reduced to a system of exhalant canals that open directly into the osculum, or it is a large cavity. We compared this specimen with all the known species of Leuceta and Pericharax, considering that these genera are not monophyletic and can be synonymous. To our knowledge, all the specimens of both genera do not have a conspicuous cortex as Leuceta conspicua does, indicating that it is indeed a new species.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E3DC13ABF7FC7982FB80F78.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Leuceta primigenia Haeckel, 1872. Diagnosis: ‘ Leucetidae with a homogeneous organisation of the wall and a typical leuconoid aquiferous system. Tere is neither a clear distinction between the cortex and the choanoskeleton, nor the presence of a distinct layer of subcortical inhalant cavities. Te atrium is frequently reduced to a system of exhalant canals that open directly into the osculum’ (Borojević et al. 2002).	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E3CC100BDE1C7892F340BDA.taxon	description	(Figs 19, 20; Table 10) Synonyms: Leuceta pyriformis: Dendy 1913: 11; Dendy and Row 1913: 734; Tanita 1943: 392; Burton 1959: 180; Van Soest and De Voogd 2018: 82. Leuceta cf. pyriformis: Klautau et al. 2013: 455. Type material: Holotype, BMNH 1925.11. 1.1120; Cargados Carajos, Indian Ocean, ‘ Sealark’ Coll. (XC 5 A), 82 m depth. MEOW: Cargados Carajos / Tromelin Island. Burton (1963) mentioned the specimen XC 5 B as the holotype (BMNH 1920.12.9.52); however, Dendy (1913) clearly indicated the specimen XC 5 A as the type. Material examined: SAMA S 1860, GAB, 35 ° 02 ʹ 17 ″ S, 135 ° 05 ʹ 42 ″ E, depth: 221 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 128, 4 December 2015. SAMA S 1894, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, depth: 283 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. SAMA S 1912, SAMAS 1916, SAMAS 1930, GAB, 33 ° 20 ʹ 13 ″ S, 130 ° 15 ʹ 27 ″ E, depth: 189 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 395, 15 December 2015. SAMA S 1951, GAB, 33 ° 21 ʹ 56 ″ S, 130 ° 44 ʹ 52 ″ E, depth: 198 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 398, 15 December 2015. Colour: Beige to light brown in ethanol (Fig. 19 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge massive and sub-spherical (Fig. 19 A). Surface smooth, covered with bright spicules. Te osculum is single and apical, without ornamentation. Te atrium can be large or reduced. Aquiferous system leuconoid. Large and small triactines are present in the cortex (Fig. 19 B). In the choanosome there are mostly small triactines and a few tetractines surrounding the excurrent canals (Fig. 19 C). Te large triactines can also be observed dispersed in the choanosome and near the atrium (Fig. 19 D). Te atrial skeleton is thick and composed only of the small triactines (Fig. 19 D). Large excurrent canals can be seen in the atrium. Spicules (Table 10) Large triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 20 A). Size: 762.4 (± 236.6) / 82.2 (± 25.5) µm. One large tetractine was observed (302.4 / 43.2 µm). Small triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but sagital spicules were also observed. Actines are conical, straight, with rounded to blunt tips (Fig. 20 B, C). Size: 174.1 (± 20.2) / 15.3 (± 2.2) µm. Small tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), but sagital spicules were also observed. Actines are conical, straight, with rounded to blunt tips (Fig. 20 D). Tetractines are not abundant. Teir apical actine is conical, frequently very thin (needle-like), but thicker apical actines are also present, smooth and sharp; occasionally they are very long (Fig. 20 D). Size: basal, 155.0 (± 31.5) / 13.0 (± 1.5) µm; apical, 139.0 (± 46.7) / 8.7 (± 2.9) µm. Geographical distribution: Cargados Carajos / Tromelin Island (type locality; Dendy 1913); the Seychelles (Van Soest and De Voogd 2018); Northern and Central Red Sea (Van Soest and De Voogd 2018); the Maldives (Burton 1959); and four localities in the GAB (this study). Ecology: Tis species was previously found from depths of 0 – 82 m (Dendy 1913, Van Soest and De Voogd 2018). Here, we extend its depth range to 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Burton (1959) found this species at 27 m depth in ‘ botom sof cream mud’ in the Maldives. Taxonomic remarks: Tis is the first potential record of Leuceta pyriformis in Australia. Although the species is considered to be widely distributed in the Indian Ocean (see above), it had never previously been reported from Australia. Te specimens from the GAB are morphologically very similar to Leuceta pyriformis from other regions. Spicule measurements are similar (large triactines, 1000 / 100 µm; small triactines and tetractines, 170 / 12.5 µm; see Table 6). However, it is referred to as Leuceta cf. pyriformis because only triactines were found in the atrial skeleton, whereas Dendy (1913) mentioned the presence of triactines and tetractines. Van Soest and De Voogd (2018) noted that specimens from Saudi Arabia and the Seychelles had only tetractines in the atrial skeleton. It is possible that Leuceta pyriformis has a variable composition of the atrial skeletal. It is also possible that the specimens are different species. Until more is known about the variability of the atrial skeleton, the GAB specimen is considered to be Leuceta cf. pyriformis. Van Soest and De Voogd (2018) assumed that the records of Leuceta microraphis Haeckel, 1872 from the Red Sea published by Voigt et al. (2017) could represent Leuceta pyriformis. However, in the phylogenies determined in this study, those specimens grouped with Leuceta microraphis from different locations (as in the studies by Voigt et al. 2017, Klautau et al. 2020) and not with Leuceta pyriformis. Consequently, this record is not included in the list of synonyms. In the molecular tree, there is also a sequence of the specimen MNRJ 13843, from Antarctica, previously identified as Leuceta cf. pyriformis by Klautau et al. (2013). Te specimens in this study did not group with it. Re-examination of the specimen MNRJ 13843 demonstrated that it is not Leuceta pyriformis, and it has been allocated as Leuceta sp. in this study.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E04C106BDC9C67C298B0E51.taxon	description	(Figs 23, 24; Table 12) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: FB 81842 A- DC 96 - 47 C 8 - 8 B 44 - 9 D 604413 D 0 A 7 Etymology: Named for the type locality, Australia. Diagnosis: Sponge tubular. Cortex delicate, composed of large tangential triactines. Choanosomal skeleton articulated but disorganized, composed of small triactines and tetractines. Atrial skeleton thin, composed of triactines and interrupted by large exhalant canals. All the spicules have cylindrical actines with rounded to blunt tips. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1891, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, 283 m depth, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. Colour: White in ethanol (Fig. 23 A). Morphology and anatomy: Sponge solid, tubular, tapering to the base but not forming a peduncle. Cortex smooth. Te osculum is single and apical, without a crown (Fig. 23 A). Te wall is 0.1 cm thick. Te atrium is 0.5 cm in diameter; it has endopinacoderm and is smooth. Te canals in the atrium are spherical, small, and irregularly distributed. Aquiferous system kladonoid, with elongated and copiously branched choanocyte chambers (Fig. 23 B). Te cortical skeleton is very thin, composed of only one or two layers of tangential large triactines (Fig. 23 C). Te choanoskeleton is articulate but not organized, composed of small triactines and tetractines irregularly distributed (Fig. 23 B, D). Te tetractines project their apical actine into the choanocyte chambers (Fig. 23 E). Te atrial skeleton is composed of tangentially disposed triactines. Te atrial skeleton is not easily recognized because it is very thin (formed by a single layer of triactines) and interrupted by exhalant canals surrounded by the choanosomal triactines and tetractines (Fig. 23 F). Spicules (Table 12) Cortical triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical, with rounded tips (Fig. 24 A). Size: 167.2 (± 24.1) / 11.9 (± 2.0) µm. Choanosomal triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), subregular, or sagital. Te actines are cylindrical, with rounded tips, although sometimes the tips are blunt (Fig. 24 B). Size: 102.6 (± 6.6) / 5.8 (± 0.6) µm. Choanosomal tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate), subregular, or sagital. Te basal actines are cylindrical, with rounded tips, although sometimes the tips are blunt (Fig. 24 C). Te apical actine is very thin and cylindrical (needle-shaped), straight or curved, sometimes undulated. It is smooth and has sharp tips (Fig. 24 D). Size: basal, 107.6 (± 8.3) / 5.7 (± 0.6) µm; apical, 67.6 (± 13.3) / 2.7 (± 0.0) µm. Atrial triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical, with rounded tips (Fig. 24 E). Size: 124.7 (± 14.3) / 8.1 (± 1.4) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known only from the type locality in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Taxonomic remarks: According to the molecular tree, this new genus is sister to Lelapiella. It has a general simple tubular structure with a relatively broad atrial cavity; the choanosome contains long, somewhat irregular and occasionally branched tubes, and a distinct well-structured atrial wall is absent. Te specimen has similarities with some genera of Calcarea but could not be allocated to any of them. Te overall structure of the specimen is similar to Grantia (subclass Calcaronea), a genus that has ‘ long and regular radial tubes, which may be branched distally, and a relatively thin atrial and cortical skeletons’ (Borojević et al. 2002). Most Grantia species are single tubes, and several have rare regular or subregular spicules, mostly in the cortical skeleton. However, this specimen has typical equiangular and equiradiate tri- and tetractines, and the nuclei of the choanocytes are always basal, indicating clearly that they belong to Calcinea.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E04C106BDC9C67C298B0E51.taxon	description	Leucomalthe shows some similarities to Rappya australiensis. Leucomalthe was described originally as a subgenus of Leucandra by Haeckel (1872) for the species Leucandra (Leucomalthe) bomba Haeckel, 1872. Dendy and Row (1913) revised the Calcarea and elevated this subgenus to genus, classifying it in the family Leucascidae because of its aquiferous system with choanocyte chambers ‘ radiating from a central gastral cavity’, which they considered similar to that of Leucascus, although they were not certain about the decision. In 1990 and 2002, Borojević and collaborators retained Leucomalthe in the order Clathrinida as incertae sedis (Borojević et al. 1990, 2002) Although they speculated that this genus could have ‘ originated from a Dendya - like sponge through progressive corticalisation and formation of an atrium’, they questioned the allocation of Leucomalthe in the subclass Calcinea, mentioning that the presence of sagital spicules in the atrial skeleton of Leucandra (Leucomalthe) bomba was not characteristic of that subclass. Analysis of the description and drawings made by Haeckel (1872) indicates that the aquiferous system of Leucomalthe is different from that of the specimen in this study. Leucomalthe has radially arranged tubular chambers, decreasing in size hierarchically from the centre to the periphery, different from those observed here. Considering these data, the specimen could not be allocated to any known genera, and a new genus is established to accommodate it.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E04C103BA54C4362F070E5F.taxon	etymology	Etymology: For Hans Tore Rapp, in recognition of his important contribution to Calcarea taxonomy. Diagnosis: Sponge tubular, not anastomosed, with single osculum. Cortex composed of triactines and / or tetractines much larger than those of the choanosome, which has an articulated but disorganized skeleton. Atrial skeleton thin and interrupted by large exhalant canals. Aquiferous system kladonoid. Type species: Rappya australiensis gen. nov., sp. nov.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E2DC12ABF7BC6172FA4082D.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Robspongia oocioa gen. nov., sp. nov. Etymology: For Rob Van Soest, in recognition of his enormous contribution to sponge taxonomy, including Calcarea. Diagnosis: Dendyidae that grow in the form of an individual ascon tube. Tere is no anastomosis or ramification. Only the cortical skeleton is present, which includes microdiactines.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E2DC12DBDF4C0C828150B0B.taxon	description	(Figs 5, 6; Table 3) Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org: act: 64 BFCEA 5 - 7 F 5 A- 4467 - 8 C 5 F- 28 F 0 B 9 C 80848 Etymology: From Latin oocious, meaning void, to reinforce the absence of spicules in the choanosome and atrium. Diagnosis: Robspongia with fusiform microdiactines, triactines, and tetractines, most of them parasagital. Cells with brown inclusions are present. Type material: Holotype, SAMA S 1859, GAB, 35 ° 02 ʹ 17 ″ S, 134 ° 05 ʹ 42 ″ E, depth: 221 m, coll. GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 128, 4 December 2015. Colour: Brown in ethanol (Fig. 5 A). Morphology and anatomy: Tere are several specimens of this species. Sponge delicate, individual tube tapering from the top to the base, but not forming a peduncle (Fig. 5 A). Te osculum is single and apical without a crown (Fig. 5 B). Te holotype, which is 7.5 cm high, has a very thin body wall (0.08 cm thick) when compared with the central cavity (0.5 cm wide). Asconoid aquiferous system (Fig. 5 C). Cells with brown inclusions are present. Te skeleton is composed of cortical tangential triactines and tetractines that project their long apical actines into the choanosome, frequently reaching the central cavity, which is hispid in consequence (Fig. 5 C, D). Tere are also few tangential microdiactines (Fig. 5 E). Tere is no other kind of skeleton. Spicules (Table 3) Microdiactine: Fusiform, with sharp tips, straight or bent in one tip, smooth (Fig. 5 E). Size: 48.3 (± 8.5) / 1.0 (± 0.1) µm. Triactine: Frequently parasagital (equiangular but with a longer unpaired actine); however, regular (equiangular and equiradiate) spicules can also be found. In the parasagital spicules, one of the paired actines is frequently shorter than the other. Te longest paired actine was always measured. Actines are cylindrical, with sharp or blunt tips (Fig. 6 A). Size: paired actine, 212.2 (± 38.1) / 13.4 (± 1.0) µm; unpaired actine, 280.7 (± 74.3) / 13.4 (± 1.4) µm. Tetractine: Frequently parasagital (equiangular but with a longer unpaired actine), although regular (equiangular and equiradiate) spicules can also be found. Te basal actines are straight, but they can also be curved. Tey are cylindrical and sharp or blunt (Fig. 6 B). Te apical actine is cylindrical, smooth, and sharp, very long, frequently curved, but sometimes straight (Fig. 6 C). It is common to find undulated apical actines. Size: paired actine, 246.5 (± 31.8) / 20.2 (± 4.8) µm; unpaired actine, 322.6 (± 77.6) / 21.6 (± 5.8) µm; apical actine, 662.7 (± 148.6) / 21.1 (± 1.7) µm. Geographical distribution: Currently known only from the type locality in the GAB. Ecology: Tis species was found at a depth of 221 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Taxonomic remarks: Robspongia is morphologically very similar to Soleneiscus Borojević, Boury-Esnault, Manuel & Vacelet, 2002, and in the C-LSU phylogeny they are sister groups, although with very low support (bootstrap = 62 %). Te main difference between the new genus and Soleneiscus is in the organization of the body. Soleneiscus has several ascon tubes growing from stolon-like tubes or tubes are ramified, whereas in the new genus the body is a single tube.	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E07C103BDE4C2AB2E9F0C1B.taxon	description	(Figs 21, 22; Table 11) Synonyms: Leuceta haeckeliana: Poléjaeff 1883: 69; Fell 1950: 10. Leucetusa haeckeliana: Dendy and Row 1913: 739; Burton 1932: 261, 1963: 553; Lopes et al. 2018: 66; Riesgo et al. 2018: 837. Leucilla haeckeliana: Fell 1950: 10. Leucetusa sp. 1: Voigt et al. 2012: 3. Rowella haeckeliana: Lopes and Klautau 2023: 34. Type material: Syntypes, BMNH 1884.22.62 - 64; off Port Jackson, Sydney, NSW, Australia, ‘ Challenger’ Expedition (Station 163 a), 3 June 1874, 55 – 64 m depth. MEOW: Manning – Hawkesbury. Materialexamined: SAMAS 1855, GAB, 35 ° 02 ʹ 17 ″ S, 134 ° 05 ʹ 42 ″ E, depth: 221 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 128, 4 December 2015. SAMA S 1890, GAB, 34 ° 17 ʹ 30 ″ S, 132 ° 42 ʹ 24 ″ E, depth: 283 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 181, 7 December 2015. SAMA S 1928, GAB, 33 ° 20 ʹ 13 ″ S, 130 ° 15 ʹ 27 ″ E, depth: 189 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 395, 15 December 2015. SAMA S 1940, GAB, 33 ° 21 ʹ 56 ″ S, 130 ° 44 ʹ 52 ″ E, depth: 198 m, coll: GABRP, site IN 2015 _ C 02 _ 398, 15 December 2015. Colour: Beige in ethanol (Fig. 21 A). Morphology and anatomy: Several tubular specimens with one apical osculum, without ornamentation, and a thinner region at the base similar to a peduncle (Fig. 21 A). Tere is a cavity inside this peduncle. Surface smooth. Te body wall is 0.1 cm thick. Te atrium is wide (0.6 cm), hispid, and with a few spherical excurrent canals. Aquiferous system leuconoid. All the specimens are full of embryos and larvae (Fig. 21 B). Te consistency of SAMA S 1855 is like rubber. Te cortical skeleton is composed of large triactines and very rare tetractines (Fig. 21 C, D). Tey lie tangentially to the sponge surface, and the tetractines project their apical actines into the choanosome, sometimes reaching the atrium. Pygmy triactines and tetractines are sparsely spread throughout the choanosome (Fig. 21 D, E). In the choanosome there are also canals, and they are surrounded by pygmy tetractines. Te atrial skeleton is composed of pygmy tetractines, larger than those of the choanosome, and rare pygmy triactines (Fig. 21 F). Te tetractines project their apical actines into the atrium (Fig. 21 E, F). Spicules (Table 11) Cortical triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Near the osculum they are sagital, sometimes with curved paired actines. Actines are cylindrical to slightly conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 22 A). Variable sizes. Size: 473.5 (± 72.4) / 21.8 (± 4.3) µm. Cortical tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical to slightly conical, with blunt tips (Fig. 22 B). Te apical actine is conical, very long and sharp. Size: basal, 540.5 / 32.4 µm; apical, 695.0 (± 296.8) / 37.8 (± 17.9) µm. Choanosomal and atrial triactines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Tese spicules are tiny, and they are not as abundant as the tiny tetractines. In the peduncle they are rare. Actines are cylindrical to conical, with sharp tips; when they are conical there is a thickening near the centre of the spicule, which appears to be deformed. Actines are frequently undulated (Fig. 22 C). Occasionally, these spicules loose one actine, becoming similar to a boomerang. Size: 30.3 (± 17.9) / 3.6 (± 1.6) µm. Choanosomal and atrial tetractines: Regular (equiangular and equiradiate). Actines are cylindrical or conical, with sharp tips; when they are conical there is a thickening near the centre of the spicule, which appears to be deformed (Fig. 22 D). Actines are frequently undulated. Te apical actine is conical, sharp, smooth, and straight or slightly curved. It is frequently thicker and longer than the basal actines. Size: basal, 31.8 (± 10.3) / 3.7 (± 1.3) µm; apical, 74.5 (± 13.8) / 5.7 (± 0.9) µm. Geographical distribution: Manning – Hawkesbury (Poléjaeff 1883); Bassian (Voigt et al. 2012); possibly Malvinas / Falklands (Burton 1932); possibly Agulhas Bank (Burton 1963, based on a slide from T. Mortensen), and four localities in the GAB (this study). Te occurrence of Rowella haeckeliana in Malvinas / Falklands and in South Africa should be regarded with caution, because the identification could not be confirmed (Lopes and Klautau 2023). Ecology: Rowella haeckeliana was originally found at depths of 55 – 64 m (Poléjaeff 1883). Later, it was collected at a depth of 174 m (specimen analysed by Voigt et al. 2012) and now from depths of 189 – 283 m on the edge of the continental shelf (in fine sand and silt). Lopes and Klautau (2023) mentioned the range in depth for this species as 55 – 2000 m, but this was an error. Te correct bathymetry for this species is depths ranging from 55 to 283 m. Tis species has already been found atached to hard and sof botoms, such as sand and shells (Lopes and Klautau 2023). Here, the specimens were found on sof botom. Remarks: Rowella haeckeliana was originally described from eastern Australia (Port Jackson), by Poléjaeff (1883). Specimens from this study match the morphology of the syntype. Te cortical triactines are cylindrical and very thin, the cortical tetractines are very rare, and the pygmy spicules are widened at the base. In the GAB specimen, the cortex varies from a thin layer to multiple layers, not as thick as the choanosome, whereas in the syntype the cortex and the choanosome are almost the same thickness. Specimens examined here are full of embryos and larvae; therefore, it is possible that this variation is atributable to the reproductive state of this species, and the specimens from the GAB have been identified as Rowella haeckeliana. Tis species is morphologically very similar to Rowella imperfecta (Poléjaeff, 1883), another species from eastern Australia. However, the cortical tetractines are abundant in Rowella imperfecta and they can occur in the choanosome, whereas Rowella haeckeliana has very rare cortical tetractines restricted to the cortical skeleton, never present in the choanosome. Clathrinida incertae sedis Borojević, Boury-Esnault, Manuel & Vacelet, 2002	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
504AC11A9E07C100BDECC3FD2EC10A88.taxon	materials_examined	Type species: Leucetusa simplicissima Burton, 1932. Diagnosis: Leucetidae with an amorphous or tubular massive body. Te well-developed cortical skeleton can be composed of single or multiple layers of triactines and / or tetractines. Te choanosomal and the atrial skeletons are composed of pygmy triactines and tetractines. Aquiferous system leuconoid, syconoid or both (Lopes and Klautau 2023).	en	Klautau, Michelle, Lopes, Matheus Vieira, Tavares, Gabriela, Rizzieri, Raisa, Sorokin, Shirley, Fromont, Jane, Goudie, Lisa, Crowther, Andrea, McCormack, Samuel, George, Anita Mary, Wahab, Muhammad Azmi Abdul (2025): Calcinean sponges (Porifera: Calcarea) from the shelf edge of the Great Australian Bight. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 203 (3), DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041, URL: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae041
