Suberitidae

Turner, Thomas L., Rouse, Greg W., Weigel, Brooke L., Janusson, Carly, Lemay, Matthew A. & Thacker, Robert W., 2024, Taxonomy and phylogeny of the family Suberitidae (Porifera: Demospongiae) in California, Zootaxa 5447 (1), pp. 1-28 : 23-24

Dichotomous Key to California Suberitidae

1A. Macroscleres are tylosyles; may also have centrotylote microstrongyles.......................................... 2

1B. Macroscleres are styles and/or subtylostyles, with or without oxeas: Homaxinella amphispicula ( de Laubenfels 1961)

2A. Thickly encrusting to massive (more than 2 mm thick)........................................................ 3

2B. Thinly encrusting (less than 2 mm thick): Protosuberites ( P. sisyrnus ( de Laubenfels 1930) is the only described species, but a second species of Protosuberites may be present)

3A. Some tylostyles over 800 μm in length.................................................................... 4

3B. All tylostyles less than 800 μm in length................................................................... 5

4A. Globular sponges atop branching stalks; choanosomal skeleton consisting of spicules and spicule bundles in confusion; collected in deep water: Rhizaxinella gadus ( de Laubenfels 1926)

4B. Sponge unstalked; choanosomal skeleton containing multispicular columns; collected in shallow water: Suberites agaricus sp. nov. Turner 2024

5A. Choanosomal skeleton a dense, confused mass of tylostyles formed into a reticulate network; ectosome with only sparse brushes of upright tylostyles and some tangential tylostyles: Pseudosuberites latke sp. nov. Turner 2024

5B. Choanosomal skeleton confused and/or containing radial tracts; ectosome packed with numerous upright tylostyles in a palisade or in bouquets........................................................................................ 6

6A. Containing centrotylote microstrongyles................................................................... 7

6B. No centrotylote microstrongyles......................................................................... 9

7A. Maximum tylostyle length <500 μm...................................................................... 8

7B. Maximum tylostyle length> 500 μm; sponge sampled from deep water; associated with hermit crab; centrotylote microstrongyles densely packed in ectosome & less common in chaonosome: Suberites californiana sp. nov. Turner 2024

8A. Centrotylote microstrongyles densely packed in ectosome & less common in chaonosome; sponge sampled from shallow water; not associated with hermit crab: Suberites kumeyaay sp. nov. Turner 2024

8B. Centrotylote microstrongyles more common in choanosome or very rare in both choanosome and ectosome; sponge sampled from deep water; associated with hermit crab: Suberites latus Lambe 1893 (in part)

9A. Tylostyles average over 350 μm in length and/or 10 μm in width: Suberites lambei Austin, Ott, Reiswig, Romagosa & McDaniel, 2014 (in part)

9B. Tylostyles average less than 350 μm in length and less than 10 μm in width...................................... 10

10A. Sponge sampled from deep water; associated with hermit crab; maximum tylostyle length <500 μm; tylostyles with well-formed heads: Suberites latus Lambe 1893 (in part)

10B. Sponge sampled from the shallow subtidal or intertidal; not associated with hermit crab: Suberites lambei Austin, Ott, Reiswig, Romagosa & McDaniel, 2014 (in part)