Cliothosa Topsent, 1905

Marlow, Joseph, Bell, James J., Shaffer, Megan, Haris, Abdul & Schönberg, Christine Hanna Lydia, 2021, Bioeroding sponge species from the Wakatobi region of southeast Sulawesi Indonesia, Zootaxa 4996 (1), pp. 1-48 : 16

Genus Cliothosa Topsent, 1905

Diagnosis. Clionaid genus with sponges predominantly in endolithic-papillate (alpha) morphology, but exceptionally in other morphologies. With ability to erode calcareous materials. Monaxon megascleres usually as robust tylostyles with round, well-formed, sometimes subterminal tyles, commonly with stepped or truncated modifications of the points. Microscleres spirasterose to amphiasterose forms with spines that commonly have delicately split and recurving tips. Reduced, “nodulous” microscleres may occur. Arrangement of papillar tylostyles in palisade or as bouquets, tyles anchored in sponge tissue, points extending above tissue surface. Choanosomal spicules unordered, also containing typical microscleres. Reduced microscleres restricted to only few body parts. Erosion traces usually large-camerate or even single, cavernous erosion chambers with irregular outline.