Borojevia Aspina
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''Borojevia aspina'' is a
species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
calcareous sponge The calcareous sponges of class Calcarea are members of the animal phylum Porifera, the cellular sponges. They are characterized by spicules made of calcium carbonate in the form of calcite or aragonite. While the spicules in most species hav ...
from Brazil. The species name refers to the lack of spines in the apical actine.


Description

Massive cormus formed of thin, regular and tightly anastomosed tubes similar to those of '' Borojevia brasiliensis'' and '' Borojevia cerebrum''. Oscula are simple apertures surrounded by a thin membrane. They are located on top of conical projections distributed throughout the cormus and receive the excurrent water from water-collecting tubes. In preserved specimens, it is difficult to recognise the oscula. The skeleton has no special organisation, and it comprises triactines, tetractines and tripods. Triactines and tetractines are equiangular and equiradiate; their actines are slightly conical, with blunt tips. Triactines are the most abundant spicules; the apical actine is shorter and thinner than the facial ones. It is also straight, conical, and unlike that of ''B. brasiliensis'' and ''B. cerebrum'', smooth. Occasionally, it is possible to find apical actines with vestigial spines. Tripods are typical, with a raised centre and conical actines but sometimes they are only similar to large conical triactines. They are distributed on a monolayer on the external tubes, delimiting the cormus. ''B. aspina'' has a sciaphile habitat.


References


World Register of Marine Species entry
Borojevia Animals described in 1994 Fauna of Brazil {{calcarea-stub