Thorectinae

Key to species of Thorectinae from Tropical Western Atlantic Ocean

1 Dermis armoured...................................................................................... 2

- Dermis unarmoured.................................................................................... 3

2 Globular or club shaped, 1–2 large apical oscules with deep atria, smooth or rugose surface, with irregular openings.............................................................................................. Thorecta atlantica

- Fig- or pear-shaped, single apical oscula without atrium, sub-equatorial belt of smaller oscules, conulose surface............................................................................................ Thorecta cincta n. comb.

3 Both primary and secondary fibers uncored................................................................ 4

- Primary or secondary fibers cored by foreign debris.......................................................... 9

4 Conulose surface, originated by the primary fibers ends, without connection between them........................... 5

- Honeycomb pattern of ridges resting on fibers at the surface, semi-incrusting to massive shape, yellow oscules, usually on top of mounds, and drab to light brown color in vivo ............................................. Smenospongia aurea

5 Primary fibers with a pith.............................................................................. 6

- Primary fibers without a pith............................................................................ 7

6 Processes outgrowth from a massive base or elongate cushion shaped, oscules with elevated rim on top, externally black color and internally gray color............................................................... Smenospongia echina

- Ramose shape, without a massive base and dark brown color................................. Smenospongia ramosa

7 Stalked, sub-flabellate shaped with tubular oscules........................................ Smenospongia musicalis

- Without a stalk........................................................................................ 8

8 Conical to cushion-shaped, externally olive-brown to black color and internally gray to cream color, mucous and sticky...................................................................................... Smenospongia conulosa

- Rounded to conical form, surface with parallel longitudinal ridges, composed by sharp conules with deep valleys between them, and black color in vivo...................................................... Smenospongia cerebriformis

9 Secondary fibers heavily cored.......................................................................... 10

- Secondary fibers uncored............................................................................... 12

10 Dark purple color in spirit or purplish to brownish color in vivo ................................................ 11

- Black color outside and cream color inside, cake-shaped, with protruding lobes and oscules on top of it, surface with honey- comb patter of fiber endings................................................................. Hyrtios proteus

11 Irregular shape, composed by masses of interconnected repent fingers or blunt ridges with slightly elevated oscules on top, purplish to brownish color and exudate a purple ink after collection................................ Hyrtios violaceus

- Lobate shape, irregularly massive, hard consistency and dark purple color in spirit.................. Hyrtios caracasensis

12 Primary fibers strongly fasciculate throughout sponge, prominent central exhalant canals, heavy dermal collagen........ 13

- Primary fibers not strongly fasciculate (but a few subsurface fascicles may occur), low forms and low to moderate collagen deposition......................................................................................... 14

13 Funnel- to cup- shaped, surface conulose............................................... Fasciospongia caliculata

- Pedunculate form to fig-shaped, with a large terminal oscule, and honeycombed surface......... Fasciospongia retiformis

14 Secondary fiber skeleton well-developed.................................................................. 15

- Primary and secondary fibers in approximately equal proportion............................................... 16

15 Massive to rounded shape, oscules flush with the surface, large and spaced conules............... Cacospongia amorpha

- Massive shape, surface smooth, hard consistency and black external color in ethanol.................. Cacospongia levis

16 Encrusting shape to cushion-shaped, tubular oscules, microconulose surface.............. Scalarispongia tubulata sp. nov.

- Massive to lobate shape, with digitiform projections and irregular surface.................. Scalarispongia cooki sp. nov.