Latrunculia


Latrunculia is a genus of demosponges. It is well known for the diverse array of chemical compounds found in its species, including the latrunculins, which are named after this genus. Many of these are medically important, including anti-cancer compounds such as discorhabdins.

Description

The majority of species are large. They have special pore-areas and oscules encircled by elevated collars. The skeleton is formed by siliceous spicules in which one end is rounded. These arranged in an irregular network of loose tracts or bundles, supporting a crust of discorhabds, a microsclere typical of the genus.

Distribution and habitat

Latrunculia contains cold-adapted species. They are common off southern hemisphere coastlines. Species are known from the Arctic and Antarctic, the Atlantic and Indian oceans, the Caribbean, Mediterranean, and Red seas.

Species

The following species are recognised:
Subgenus Latrunculia Latrunculia (Biannulata) algoaensis Latrunculia (Biannulata) citharistae Latrunculia (Biannulata) duckworthi Latrunculia (Biannulata) gotzi Latrunculia (Biannulata) janeirensis Latrunculia (Biannulata) kaakaariki Latrunculia (Biannulata) kaikoura Latrunculia (Biannulata) kerwathi Latrunculia (Biannulata) lincfreesei `
  • Green moon sponge Latrunculia (Biannulata) lunaviridis Latrunculia (Biannulata) microacanthoxea Latrunculia (Biannulata) millerae Latrunculia (Biannulata) procumbens Latrunculia (Biannulata) purpurea Latrunculia (Biannulata) spinispiraefera Latrunculia (Biannulata) triloba Latrunculia (Biannulata) wellingtonensis
Subgenus Latrunculia Latrunculia (Latrunculia) apicalis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) austini Latrunculia (Latrunculia) basalis
  • Mud-clump sponge Latrunculia (Latrunculia) biformis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) bocagei Latrunculia (Latrunculia) brevis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) ciruela Latrunculia (Latrunculia) copihuensis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) cratera Latrunculia (Latrunculia) crenulata Latrunculia (Latrunculia) fiordensis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) hamanni Latrunculia (Latrunculia) ikematsui Latrunculia (Latrunculia) multirotalis Latrunculia (Latrunculia) novaecaledoniae Latrunculia (Latrunculia) oxydiscorhabda Latrunculia (Latrunculia) palmata Latrunculia (Latrunculia) tetraverticillata Latrunculia (Latrunculia) triverticillata Latrunculia (Latrunculia) verenae Latrunculia (Latrunculia) yepayek
Subgenus Latrunculia Latrunculia (Uniannulata) oparinae Latrunculia (Uniannulata) velera
No subgenusLatrunculia rugosa
  • ''Latrunculia sceptrellifera''