ALBERT

Description: Innerhalb der Demospongiae werden in allen höheren Kategorien Poriferen mit desmoiden Megaskleren beobachtet. Deshalb wird die polyphyletische Gruppierung der "Lithistida" (Mittelkambrium - Rezent) aufgelöst. Die in der vorliegenden Arbeit untersuchten Spongien beinhalten fossile und rezente Taxa. Das Merkmal Desmata wird als autapomorph für das Homoscleromorpha-Demospongiae-Taxon betrachtet und muß in dessen Grundmuster verankert sein. Der tetraxone Calthrops wird in diesem Taxon als ursprünglicher Sklerentyp betrachtet. Die verschiedenen Desmata, die aufgrund ihrer Axialsymmetrie unterschieden werden, können von ihm abgeleitet werden. Die asteroiden Desmata von Crambe werden, wie die acrepiden Desmata der Vetulinidae, als Autapomorphie des Taxons betrachtet. Diese beiden Desmata-Typen lassen sich von keiner bekannten Ausgangsform ableiten. Innerhalb der Demospongiae wird aufgrund der konstitutiven Merkmale, Mikroskleren und Skelettarchitektur, unter besonderer Berücksichtigung desmentragender Spongien ein pylogenetisch-taxonomisches Modell vorgestellt. Die Demospongiae werden gegliedert: 1. In Taxa mit astrosen Mikroskleren, die sich in die Adelphotaxa "Euaster-Taxa" und Spirasterophora aufspalten. Die Spirasterophora, die sich durch Abwandlung des plesiomorphen Protoasters auszeichnen, enthalten die Taxa Spirastrellidae, Megamorina, Corallistidae (= Dicanocladina), Tetracladina und Pachastrellidae. 2. Die Taxa mit sigmatosen Mikroskleren sind in die Schwestergruppen Halichondridae und Sigmatophora aufgespalten. Innerhalb der Halichondridae sind primär jedoch keine Mikroskleren vorhanden. Das Taxon ist durch seine Skelettarchitektur charakterisiert. Als Taxa mit desmoiden Megaskleren sind den Halichondridae Petromica, die Vetulinidae, Siphonidiidae und die Desmanthidae zugeordnet. Die Sigmatophora teilen sich in die Schwestertaxa ,’Spirophorida"/Rhizomorina mit Sigmaspiren-Mikroskleren und Poecilosclerida mit Chelen-Mikroskleren. Beide Mikroskleren-Typen können aus dem plesiomorphen Protosigma abgeleitet werden. Innerhalb der Halichondridae und der Sigmatophora sind Rhizoclone wahrscheinlich unabhängig voneinander entstanden.

Description: Within the demosponges in all main taxa, irregular spicules, the desmas are observed. Therefore, the polyphyletic "Lithistida" SCHMIDT 1870 is eliminated. Desma-bearing demosponges are known since the Middle Cambrian. The desma-types are differenciated by their axial symmetry. In the present theory, the character desma probably evolved from a regular tetraxonid calthrops through "secondary" (intracellulary) silification within the scleroblast. This is indicated by the ornamentation and zygomes (ends of these spicules) of this special type of spicules. First the tetraxonid desmas (tetraclones) evolved. Then a possible reduction of two calthrops rays to diactine forms, like oxeas, and the reduction of three rays to monactine spicules, like styles, took place. The monaxonid desmas (rhizoclones, dicranoclones, dendroclones) are derived from "normal" spicules, such as styles. The hypothesis is that the reduction of rays of the calthrops first lead to normal monaxonid spicules, and monaxonid desmas evolved by "secondary" silification. The acrepid desmas (sphaeroclones and the acrepid ones within the taxon Vetulinidae) maybe a new autapomorphie achievement, because it cannot definitely be attributed to the basic calthrops type. Also the triaene type of ectosomal megascleres, is considered calthrops derived, because of its tetraxonid nature. The ability to form desmas is interpreted therefore as symplesiomorphic within the Homoscleromorpha-Demospongiae taxon and as a part of their basic pattern. It is a cryptotypic character, which is realized and altered autapomorphicly within certain demosponge taxa. In higher categories of the demosponges, the systematizaton is done by the characters microscleres and skeleton architecture. The different microscleres types, asters and sigmas respectively, are known to never occur together in one species, and for that reason they are considered characters of Tetractinomorpha pars and Ceractinomorpha pars. In the fossil record, the microscleres are normally absent because of their poor preservation potential. Nevertheless, homologization of spicules and the skeleton architecture of fossil and living sponges is often possible. For desma-bearing demosponges since the Mesozoic, a new phylogenetic modell is presented, the taxon "Lithistida" is eleminated and grouped into possible monophyla. The taxon Demospongiae is subdivided into: 1. Taxa with aster-type microscleres, comprising the adelphotaxa "Euaster-Taxa" and Spirasterophora. The Spirasterophora new taxon comprise the taxa "Spirastrellidae", Megamorina, Corallistidae, Tetracladina, and Pachastrellidae, established by their autapomorphic character spirasters, derived from the basic type "protoaster" Different desma-types (megaclones, dicranoclones, tetraclones) are represented within the Spirasterophora. The ectosomal triaene megasclers are symplesiomorphic for all taxa. The pachastrellids possess in addition the plesiomorphic calthrops. The Pleromeridae (with megaclone desmas) are attributed to the Megamorina, the Dicranocladina (dicranoclon desmas) to the Corallistidae and the Theonellidae (tetraclone desmas) to the Tetracladina. The senior names given to the Mesozoic members of these groups thus have priority instead of the younger synonymeous names given to the Recent taxa. 2. Taxa with sigma-type microscleres are grouped into the sistergroups Halichondridae and Sigmatophora, respectively. Within the Halichondridae also desma-bearing taxa exist. The autapomorphic characters are isonitrils secondary metabolites), monaxone megascleres, and the reduction of microscleres. The skeletal architecture is of the halichodrid-type. The taxon Petromicidae shows isolated monaxonid desmas. Within the Vetulinidae, acrepid polyclad desmas appear. The Siphonidiidae possess monaxonid or tetraxonid chonasomal desmas, and in the ectosomal region eigther desmas without zygosis or normal spicules are present. In the Desmanthidae monactine special "croquet-type" desmas are found. All these taxa are known only from living demosponges, in the fossil record they are not preserved. The Sigmatophora SoLLAS are extended to comprise also the plesiomorphic Charakter of desmoid megascleres. The contitutive autapomorphic microsclere-type are the sigmas. The Sigmatophora comprise the sistergroups "Spirophoridae"/Rhizomorina and the Poecilosclerida. "Spirophoridae" are characterized by sigma-/spinispire-microscleres, evolved from sigmas, and they possess also the symplesiomorphic triaenes. The Rhizomorina possess monaxonid desmas, the rhizoclones, sigmaspire-microslers, and monaxonid "normal" spicules. The living Scleritodermidae are attributed to the taxon Rhizomorina. Within the Poecilosclerida, o desmas also occur. The poecilosclerids are characterized by autapomorphic characters subtylostyle megascleres, simatose microscleres (chelae). Within this taxon, monactine and diactine megasclers are frequent. We also know few taxa which shows different desmoid megascleres Lithochela, Crambe and Esperiopsis. Within the taxon Halichondridae and Sigmatophora the rhizoclones probably evolved convergently.

Description: thesis

Description: DFG, SUB Göttingen