Relationship of sand and fibre in the horny sponge, Psammocinia

7 Pages·1999·4.2 MB·English

by  C J Sim

RELATIONSHIP OF SAND AND FIBRE IN THE HORNY SPONGE, PSAMMOCINIA
CHUNG JA SIM AND KYUNG JIN LEE
Sim, C.J. & Lee, K.J. 1999 06 30: Relationship ofsand and fibre in the horny sponge,
Psammocinia.MemoirsoftheQueenslandMuseum44:551-557.Brisbane.ISSN0079-8835.
Five species ofthe genus Psammocinia (Irciniidae) are described from Chejudo Island,
Namhaedo Island and Wando Island, Korea (Psammocinia jejuensis, P. mosulpia, P.
mammiformis. P. samyangensisandP. wandoensis). Psammociniaischaracterisedby large
quantities ofsand in spongin fibres, mesohyl matrix and as a thick superficial cortex. In
addition to the primary and secondary branching fibres, fine filaments emerge from
individual pores in the fibres. Occasionally short secondary' fibres are connected to large
sandgrains, formingbridgesbetweenadjacentsandgrains. Theskeletonformed from sand
O
grains associated with fibres provides additional support for the body ofthe sponge.
Porifera, hornysponge, Dictyoceratida, Psammocinia, Korea.
ChungJaSim (email: cjsim(aeve.Hannam.ac.kr) & KyungJinLee, DepartmentofBiology,
Hannam University, Daejeon 300-791. Korea; 6January 1999.
Psammocinia (Irciniidae) is characterised in uncored secondary fibres (Bergquist, 1980).
having many sand grains within spongin fibres FilamentsofPsammociniaemerge from pores in
and the mesohvl matrix, and a surface crust of the fibres.
sand(Bergquist, 980;Cook&Bergquist, 1996).
1
Lendenfeld (1888, 1889) reported eight species MATERIALS AND METHODS
in Psammocinia, at that time included as a
subgenus of Hircinia (Ircinia). Of these, only SpecimensofPsammociniawerecollected from
four are currently included in Psammocinia: H. Chejudo Island, Namhaedo Island and Wando
rugosa Lendenfeld, 1889, H. arenosa Island in Korea; P. mammiformis (Manjaedo,
Lendenfeld, 1888, H. tenella Lendenfeld, 1889 Namhaedo Island), P. mosulpia (Mosulp'o,
and H. halmiformis Lendenfeld, 1888, and of ChejudoIsland), P.jejuensis(Kimnyung, Chejudo
these two (H. rugosa and H. tenella) are Island), P. samyangensis (Samyang 1 dong,
Bs(eHyrongooqpnueiyrsmtasn(d1o9fW9i5Pe.)dervneepmsoiarcytueelrid,foer1na9e94(n)Pe.owlMejosapreeefcfir,eesce1fn8tr8lo4ym), CI1sh0le-ajn2du5)dm.oSdpeIpestclhai,nmde)annsdanwbdeyrPe.ficswohlailnnegdc-otneeednt.sbiyFsoSr(CWiUdaeBnnAtdi,o-
NdeeswcriCbaeldedfiovneian,ewansdpecCioeoskfr&omBNeergwquZiesatla(n1d9.98I)n fSiEcaMtion(oAfKhAoSmHyIspIonStNjeS,Sl4i0gh)t mwiecrreoscuospeydantdo
Korea, three species of Psammocinia were determine fibre arrangement.
reported from Chejudo Island and Namhaedo
RESULTS
Island (Sim, 1998), and two new species, P.
swaanmdyoaenngsiesnsSiism S&imLee&, 1L9e98e,, w1er9e98deascnrdibeP.d DISTRIBUTION OF SAND. In all species
examinedtheprimary fibresarecompletely filled
fromtheSouth SeaofKorea(Sim&Lee, 1998).
with sand grainsthat form a loosely packed sand
In the present study we examine five species core. Secondary fibres may be either partially
from Koreanwaterswiththeaimtodeterminethe cored with sand, or lack any sand grains within
extent of skeletal support provided by these their cores (Fig. ID, E). Larger size sand grains
foreign skeletal elements, showing that sand is areattached totheoutsideofthe fibres(Fig. 2G).
closely associated with the fibres ofthe sponge, Beneath the surface, a sand crust is mixed with
sometimes providing support to the sponge as foreign spicules (Fig. 1A, B). In one species (P.
bridges ofprimary and secondary' fibres connect jejuensis) the external surface of the sponge is
sand grains in the body. armoured with pieces ofshell debris.
The principal diagnostic characteristic of SAND ON THE ECTOSOMAL CRUST.
Irciniidae is the possession ofa third element of Surfaces of P. wandoensis, P. mosulpia and P.
theskeletonconsistingoffinecollagenous filam- mammiformis have a sand crust mixed with
ents beyond the fasciculate primary fibres and foreign spicules, whereas P. samyangensis has a
552 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
FIG. 1.A-B,Psammociniamosulpia;A,sandcrust;B,under-crustmixedwithspongespicules.C,P.wandoensis,
sandattachedinsideoffibres.D-E,P.Samyangensis; D,primaryfibrewithsand;E,largeoxeasupportingfibre.
F, P. mosulpia, primary fibre with sand. G-H, P. jejuensis; G, large oxea in fibre; H, sand in fibre. I, P.
mammiformis, primary fibre with sand. (Scale bars; A-B, 300|im; C-D, 150jam; E, 300um; F- 1, 150|im)
SAND & FIBRE IN PSAMMOC1NIA 55:
FIG. 2. A,Psammociniamammiformis, choanosomewithsand grains(SG). B,P. samyangensis, choanosome.
C,P.jejuenstSychoanosome.D,P. mosulpia,choanosome.E,P. wcmdoensis,choanosome.F,P.samyangensis,
choanosomesecondaryfibrewithsand.G,P. mosulpia,choanosomefibrewithsand(Scalebars: A-D,400(^m;
E, lOO^im; F, 80^im; G, 300^m).
thin filamentous membrane mixed with large a black sand crust making this species appear
sand grains and pieces of shell, each 1-2.5mm darkly pigmented (Fig. 1A, B).
diameter, not strictly a sand crust. Thetexture of
this species is soft and easily torn because the SAND IN THE MATRIX. The choanosomal
fibre and filament arrangement is very loose. matrixalsocontainsmanysandgrains,withsizes
Psammocinia jejuensis also has filamentous ofsandgrainsvaryingbetweeneachspecies. InP.
membrane instead oftrue sand crust, with large jejuensis and P. samyangensis large sand grains,
grains of sand and pieces of shell distributed 0.7-4.Omm diameter, are combined with the
withinthesurfacearmour. InP. mosulpiathereis filamentnetwork (Fig. 2B). InP. wandoensisthe
554 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
mesohylmatrixcontainssmallersizesandgrains, These filaments are visible under light
0-70u.mdiameter (Fig. 2E), whereas P. microscopy, butare more clearly observed using
1
mosulpia and P. mammiformis have sand grains SEM. In P. samyangensis fibre pore sizes vary
ofintermediate size, 350-600jim diameter. greatly, apparently correlated to the thickness of
filaments emerging. At their base several
SAND IN SPONGIN FIBRES. Sandgrains in P. adjacentfilaments fuseto formacentral filament
wandoensis are attached to the inside offibres, (Fig. 3B). At their terminal ends filaments are
with grains approximately 50jnm diameter and usuallycomposedofasingleterminalknob(Figs
uniformlydistributedinaunidirectionalplane. In 3C, 4H). The fibres seem to be in the form ofa
thisspeciesthe fibresaredifficulttodifferentiate branchbutweareableto confirm that there is an
fromthecloselypacked,amalgamatedsandgrains. opening on the end ofthe branch from whichthe
In P samyangensis the accumulation of large filament emerges (Figs 3E, F, 4D).
sand grains, 10-180um diameter, completely
obscure the axis of primary fibres, and often a DISCUSSION
single foreign oxea connects adjacent primary
fibres like a bridge, llirther supporting fibres. In Psammocina spongin fibres are thin and
Rarely, smaller sand is distributed among the cither simple or weakly fasciculated. As such,
primary fibres (Fig. 1D, E). fibres probably do notprovide sufficientsupport
Psammocinia mosulpia has large sand grains, for the sponge body. Through the incorporation
100-400um diameter, contained within trans- ofsand grains into fibres and at the fibre core,
parent fibres which are simple, not fasciculated sufficientstructuralintegrityisachievedbythese
(Fig. 1F). Sandgrainsareattached inand outside species. In addition to the rigidity received from
offibres. association with sand grains, fibres of
Psammociniajejuensis has sand grains within Psammocinia are also supported by a large,
its primary fibres that make up stout fasciculate single oxea in many places within the mesohyl
columns. Sand grains measure 20-220um (Fig. 1E). Filaments also serve an importantrole
diameter. Fibresareeasilytorn. Secondary fibres in the sponge. Ifthe sponge surface lacks a true
mayhavealargesingle foreignoxeaincluded,up sand crust, filaments produce a filamentous,
to approximately I,440um long and 80um wide, ctohtetsoens-tlriukcetumreesmpbrroavnideeastomtheemseuarsfuarcee.ofToskgeeltehtealr
appearstosupportthesponge(Fig. 1G, H).These supportforthesponge,perhapscompensatingfor
oxeas are unbroken within fibres. some inadequacy in their own organic skeletal
InP. mammiformistherearethick,strongfibres elements.
withchain-like, small sandgrainsincluded inthe
centre of fibres (Fig. II). Secondary fibres Bergquist (1995) stated that organic filaments
connected to large sand grains, form bridges were separated from spongin fibres, whereas we
between adjacent sand grains (Fig. 2F). Sands haveshownthatfilamentsemergefromthenumer-
and fibres are tightly bound together(Fig. 2G). ous pores throughout the fibre, and thus integral
to the sponge fibre system. We also noted that
FILAMENTS AND FIBRES. In all five species several filaments emerge from a pore on the
of Psammocinia we observed that filaments fibres (Fig. 3A), merge, and continue as a single
emerge from pores on fibres (Figs 3A-F, 4A-H). filament ending in a terminal knob (Fig. 3D, E,
TABLE I. Main characteristics ofthe five Psammocinia species.
Species Consistency Surface Mesohyl FibreandSand Filament
P.wandoensis Verj resilient Thicksandcrust 1S0m-a1l2l0suamnddigraamientse.r Muchsmaflilbrseasndinside Filamenttopdoerleesctdifficult
P. mosulpia Resilient Thinsandcrust 4M0e0d-i6u0m0usmanddigarmaeitnes,r Sandinandbroeutsideoffi- Filamenttopdoerteesctdifficult
P.mammiformis Resilient Sandcrust 3M5e0d-i6u0m0usmanddigarmaeitnes,r Smalclhasiann-dliiknefibre, Filamentvipsoirbelseslightly
P jejutni Hasirldienbttuo,trennaostilrye- Nfomielsmaambnedrnatcnrouuesst, 7(lLla)r-g4e,0s0a0n^dmgdriaaimnes,ter Muchsandinfibre Filamenvtispiobrleeseasily
P.samyangensis Veryilysotfotr,neas- Nofmielsmaambnedrnatcrnouuesst, 7<)LOa-r4g.e0s0a0nudmgdriaaimnes,ter Muchsandinfibre Filamenvtispiobrleeseasily
SAND & FIBRE IN PSAMMOCINIA 555
FIG. 3. A-F, Psammocinia$amyangensis\ A, many pores on a fibre (F, fibre; Fi, filament; P, pore); B, base of
filamentsandpores;C,filamentemergingfromporeonthefibre(T,terminalknob);D-E,filamentandporeona
fibre; F, base offilamentandpore (Scale bars: A, lOOjim; B-C, 20^im; D-F, 10(im).
H). Very rarely, we noted filaments emerging Cook & Bergquist (1998) stated that the fibre
from both fibre pores and longitudinal slits along skeleton in Psammocinia is supplemented at fine
collagenousfilaments,eachenlargedterminallyat
thefibres(Fig.3C),butmostcommonlyfilaments both ends, whereas in the five species examined
appearto emerge only from pores. heretheseterminalknobsappearatoneendonly.
556 MEMOIRS OF THE QUEENSLAND MUSEUM
FIG 4. A-B, Psammociniajejuensiss base of filament (F, fibre; Ft, filament: P. pore). C-E, Psammocinia
mammiformis; filament and pore on a fibre, F, Psammocinia wandoensis, base o\' filament and pore. G-lL
Psammociniamosulpia\ G, baseoffilament and pore; H, filamentemerging from poreona fibre (T, terminal
knob) (Scale bars: A-B. 2()um: C-E, lOum; F-H, 20um).
Several questions still remain regarding the from which the filaments emerged, and we
nature of the filaments of Psammocinia. One assume,withempiricalsupportfromSEMstudies,
such question concerns the origin and that a single pore can produce several filaments
development of the filaments along the fibres, overtime.
which is a topic for further study. Another Due to the complex morphology ofthe fibres
question concerns the quantity of filaments in and filament arrangement in Psammocinia, we
relation to the quantity of fibre pores. In all were fortunate to observe the multi-based fila-
spongesweexaminedweobservedalargenumber ments (Fig. 3A) notpreviouslydescribed forthis
offilaments, whereas there were far fewer pores genus. Further studies are required, however, to
SAND & FIBRE FN PSAMMOCINIA 557
determine whether this type filament is Demospongiae). Memoirs of the Queensland
exclusivelyacharacteristicofPsammocinia, oris Museum 38(1): 1-51.
also found within other sponges ofIreiniidae. COOK, S. DE C. & BERCiQUIST, P.R. 1998. New
speciesofdictyoceratid sponges Porifera: Demo-
Asnoted inTable 1,all specieswithatruesand spongiae: Dictyoceratida) from New Zealand.
crust are tough and it is difficult to observed New Zealand Journal ofMarine and Freshwater
filamentporesgiventhatsomany sandgrains are Research 30:19-34.
attached to fibre. The two species without a true HOOPER. J.N.A. & WIEDENMAYER, F. 1994.
sand crust are not tough, easily torn, have many Porifera.Pp. 1-626. In Wells, A.(ed.) 'Zoological
filaments and many filament pores were Catalogue of Australia1, Vol. 12. (CSIRO
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observed. LENDEFELD, R.VON 1888. Descriptivecatalogueof
the sponges in the Australian Museum, Sydney.
&
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (Taylor Francis: London).
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& Co.: London).
This work was supported partly by the Basic POLEJAEFF,N. 884.Reportonihekeratosacollected
Science Research Institute Programme, Korean by H.M.S.1 'Challenger" during the years
Ministry ofEducation through Reasearch Fund 1873-1876. Pp. 1-88. In Report on the Scientific
(BSRI-97-4428). Results of the voyage of H.M.S. 'Challenger'
duringthe years 1873-76, Zoology. Vol. 1 1. (Her
Majesty's Stationery Office: London, Edinburgh,
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