Comprehensive Revision of a Worldwide Collection of Freshwater Sponges (Porifera, Spongillidae) (Classic Reprint) - Tapa dura

Sinopsis

Excerpt from Comprehensive Revision of a Worldwide Collection of Freshwater Sponges (Porifera, Spongillidae)

In spite of the fact that serious scientific efforts in the taxonomic study of freshwater sponges were begun in the mid-19th century, and that a great number of subsequent investigators have contributed a massive amount of additional descriptive information, the taxonomy of this group has remained in a most chaotic state. Following Bowerbank's (1863) initial revision of all species of Spongilla, Gray (1867) was first to establish useful criteria for their generic differen tiation and to erect six new genera in addition to Spongilla Lamarck. Unfortunately, this system was criticized and its validity questioned by Carter (1881a), who claimed that Gray established his new genera without having seen Bowerbank's material upon which they were erected. Although fully unjustified in doing so, Carter (1881a) alto gether ignored Gray's existing generic names and devised his own system for the inclusion of Bowerbank's species and subsequently collected material. Thus it happened that Gray's well-established genera fell into complete obscurity for many decades, and Carter's system became firmly established, without being seriously challenged by any subsequent taxonomist.

From the turn of this century, several attempts were made to revise comprehensively the status of the ever increasing numbers of species. After the publication of the first bibliography of all freshwater sponges by Weltner it was chiefly Annandale (1906 - 1919) who began to build the foundations to an improved and modernized knowledge of spongillid taxonomy. Annandale reestablished some of Gray's generic names, at least at a subgeneric level, and added a number of well-defined new genera to the conglomerate systems of Gray and Carter. Additional revisions were subsequently undertaken by Gee (1926 Schroder (1926 and Arndt (1923 to name just the most important contributors. Generic revisions were attempted by De Laubenfels (1936) and Jewell However, in spite of the fact that all these investigations have certainly helped to overcome a number of taxonomic difficulties, they seemed to have little effect on the stability of taxonomic nomenclature.

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