Thoosa (sponge)
Encyclopedia
Thoosa is a genus
of demosponge
in the family
Clionaidae
. This genus is known for boring holes in coral
s. It contains sixteen described species.
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
of demosponge
Demosponge
The Demospongiae are the largest class in the phylum Porifera. Their "skeletons" are made of spicules consisting of fibers of the protein spongin, the mineral silica, or both. Where spicules of silica are present, they have a different shape from those in the otherwise similar glass sponges...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Clionaidae
Clionaidae
Clionaidae is a family of demosponges which are known worldwide. This family is known for boring holes in calcareous material such as mollusc shells and corals, using both chemical and mechanical processes,.-Genera:Genera within this family include:...
. This genus is known for boring holes in coral
Coral
Corals are marine animals in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual "polyps". The group includes the important reef builders that inhabit tropical oceans and secrete calcium carbonate to form a hard skeleton.A coral "head" is a colony of...
s. It contains sixteen described species.
Species
Species in this genus include:- Thoosa amphiasterina Topsent, 1920
- Thoosa armata Topsent, 1888
- Thoosa bulbosa Hancock, 1849
- Thoosa cactoides Hancock, 1849
- Thoosa calpulli Carballo, Cruz-Barraza & Gomez, 2004
- Thoosa circumflexa Topsent, 1891
- Thoosa fischeri Topsent, 1891
- Thoosa istriaca Müller, 1979
- Thoosa laeviaster Annandale, 1915
- Thoosa letellieri Topsent, 1891
- Thoosa midwayi Azzini, Calcinai, Iwasaki & Bavestrello, 2007
- Thoosa mismalolli Carballo, Cruz-Barraza & Gomez, 2004
- Thoosa mollis Volz, 1939
- Thoosa radiata Topsent, 1887
- Thoosa socialis Carter, 1880
- Thoosa tortonesei Sarà, 1958