Cinachyra Sollas, 1886

Carella, Mirco & Uriz, Maria J., 2018, Description of two new genera (Antarctotetilla, Levantiniella) and a new species of Tetillidae, Zootaxa 4455 (2), pp. 295-321 : 313

Genus Cinachyra Sollas, 1886

Definition. Tetillidae with a conspicuous cortex composed either by a dense palisade of auxiliary oxeas or collagen exclusively and, with flask-shaped porocalices ( Sollas 1886).

Diagnosis: Globular sponges with many large, deep, flask-shaped porocalices. Oscules scattered; large individuals present a root system of spicules at the base. Marked cortex composed either of only collagen or thick auxiliary cris-cross oxeas at the peripheral zone with variable collagen. The choanosomal skeleton consists of bundles of oxeas, anatriaenes, and protriaenes radiating spirally from the center and piercing the surface. Surface even or hispid. Megascleres are oxeas, protriaenes, anatriaenes and trichodal protriaenes; microscleres sigmaspires.

Distribution: Antarctic, Subantarctic, and Australian waters, mainly in deep habitats (Carter 1872, Sollas 1886, Carella et al. 2016).

Remarks. Some species of Cinachyra have been repeatedly confounded with Cinachyrella Wilson, 1925 . The latter genus also has porocalices but lacks any kind of cortical specialization ( Rützler 1987).