''Clathrina chrysea'' 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
New Caledonia
)
, anthem = ""
, image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg
, map_alt = Location of New Caledonia
, map_caption = Location of New Caledonia
, mapsize = 290px
, subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...
. The species epithet refers to the light yellow colour of the sponge.
Description
Cormus formed of thin, regularly anastomosed tubes. There are no water-collecting tubes. The skeleton of the tubes has no special organisation, comprising a thin meshwork of equiangular and equiradiate triactines. Actines are straight and conical, with a sharp distal tip. They are slightly undulated at the tip. Biochemical studies separated ''
Clathrina clathrus
''Clathrina clathrus'' is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the family Clathrinidae.
This yellow (occasionally white) sponge, up to 10 cm in diameter, usually appears cushion-shaped at a distance (its close relative '' Clathrina c ...
'' from
another yellow clathrina earlier named as ''
Clathrina aurea'', suggesting that ''C. clathrus'' is not widespread. Based on this result, Borojevic & Klautau (2000) recognized a specimen from New Caledonia as a new species. The main difference between this and other yellow clathrinas relates to the tip of the actines of the triactines, which is sharp in ''C. chrysea'' and rounded in ''C. clathrus'' and ''C. aurea''. The yellow colour of the cormus and the skeleton composed only of triactines with cylindrical and undulated actines suggest that these clathrinas constitute a group of closely related species. Breitfuss (1897) reported a yellow clathrina he called ''C. clathrus'' in the Indo-Pacific region (Ternate). Borojevic & Klautau (2000) commented that he was probably referring to ''C. chrysea''. In the original description of ''C. chrysea'', the micrometry
of the triactines was 105 mm (±9 mm)/10 mm (±1 mm).
References
World Register of Marine Species entry
Clathrina
Animals described in 2000
Fauna of New Caledonia
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