Leucosolenia


Leucosolenia is a genus of calcareous sponges belonging to the family Leucosoleniidae. Species of this genus usually appear as groups of curved vases, up to 2 cm long, each ending in an osculum. The overall shape is sometimes likened to a tiny bunch of bananas. They are most often observed in tide pools, clustered around the base of seaweeds or on rocks, and occur in a variety of colours, usually rather pale. Its canal system is of asconoid type. The colony consists of few simple vase-like, cylindrical individuals each terminating in an osculum and united at their bases by irregular horizontal tubes. Leucosolenia reproduces both asexually and sexually. asexual reproduction by budding and sexual reproduction takes place by formation of gametes, i.e., ova and sperms. Lecosolenia is hermaphrodite, because both the gametes are formed in the body of same individual. Sponges are mostly asymmetrical, but Leucosolenia is symmetrical.

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Leucosolenia:Leucosolenia aboralis Brøndsted, 1931Leucosolenia albatrossi Hôzawa, 1918Leucosolenia arachnoides Leucosolenia australis Brøndsted, 1931Leucosolenia botryoides Leucosolenia brondstedi Van Soest & Hooper, 2020Leucosolenia cervicornis Leucosolenia clarkii Leucosolenia complicata Leucosolenia corallorrhiza Leucosolenia cyathus Leucosolenia discoveryi Jenkin, 1908Leucosolenia echinata Kirk, 1893Leucosolenia eleanor Urban, 1906Leucosolenia eustephana Haeckel, 1872Leucosolenia falklandica Breitfuss, 1898Leucosolenia feuerlandica Tanita, 1942Leucosolenia fragilis Leucosolenia gegenbauri Leucosolenia goethei Leucosolenia hispidissima Leucosolenia horrida Leucosolenia incerta Urban, 1908Leucosolenia kagoshimensis Leucosolenia lucasi Dendy, 1891Leucosolenia macquariensis Dendy, 1918Leucosolenia microspinata Longo, 2009Leucosolenia minchini Jenkin, 1908Leucosolenia minuta Tanita, 1943Leucosolenia mollis Tanita, 1941Leucosolenia nautilia de Laubenfels, 1930Leucosolenia parthenopea Sarà, 1953Leucosolenia pilosella Brøndsted, 1931Leucosolenia pyriformis Tanita, 1943Leucosolenia rosea Kirk, 1896Leucosolenia salpinx Van Soest, 2017Leucosolenia serica Tanita, 1942Leucosolenia somesii Leucosolenia tenera Tanita, 1940Leucosolenia variabilis Haeckel, 1870Leucosolenia ventosa Hôzawa, 1940
  • ''Leucosolenia vesicula''