Hooper, J.N.A. (2002). Family Hemiasterellidae Lendenfeld, 1889. pp. 186-195 in: Hooper, J.N.A.; Van Soest, R.W.M. (Eds.). Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of sponges. (Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow).
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Hooper, J.N.A.
2002
Family Hemiasterellidae Lendenfeld, 1889. pp. 186-195 <i>in</i>: Hooper, J.N.A.; Van Soest, R.W.M. (Eds.). Systema Porifera: a guide to the classification of sponges. (Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow)
Publication
The PDF supplied here is a proof - NOT the definitive printed text - of a chapter of the Systema Porifera
Hemiasterellidae Lendenfeld (Demospongiae, Hadromerida) contains 11 nominal genera, of which six are valid, and approximately 20 described species worldwide. Species live in all oceans, predominantly in shallow waters, are often dichotomously branching or flabellate, with hispid surface or conules and stiff texture. The family has a unique combination of euasters mainly at the surface, and monaxonic megascleres (styles and/or oxeas) with distinctly structured arrangement of axial and extra-axial skeletons. Genera are differentiated predominantly on the basis of whether megascleres are diactinal or monactinal, development of the axial and extra-axial skeletons, presence or absence of ectosomal specialisation, and euaster morphology.
