Dendy, 1892
Definition: Leucosolenida with a distinct cortex supported by tangentially placed tetractines in which the apical rays cross entirely, or at least a large part of, the choanosome. Triactines may be present in the cortex. An articulated choanosomal skeleton is absent, and it may be composed essentially of the apical rays of the cortical tetractines and unpaired rays of subatrial spicules. Diffusedly arranged triactines and/or tetractines may be also present in the choanosomal skeleton. Atrial skeleton always present.
Remarks: Amphoriscids may be tubular, ovate, clavate, spherical or irregularly massive in form. They may have a root tuft of long oxeas and anchoring tetractines. The organization may be syconoid, syllebeid or leuconoid. Amphoriscidae are derived from a primitive "Grantia"-type of organization by the pronounced development of the cortical skeleton particularly through the hypertrophy of cortical tetractines, the apical rays of which represent the base of the choanoskeleton. The articulate skeleton composed of several rows of triactines typically found in Sycon and Grantia is not found in Amphoriscids. It is replaced by apical rays of triactines and unpaired rays of subatrial spicules.
Sources: Hartman, 1982; Borojevic and Boury-Esnault, 1987.
Genera represented in the area:
Leucilla Haeckel, 1870 (type species:L . amphora Haeckel, 1870): syllebeid aquiferous system or leuconoid aquiferous system.
Amphoriscus Haeckel, 1870 (type species:Ute chrysalis Schmidt, 1864): syconoid aquiferous system.
Species included:
Amphoriscus oviparus
Leucilla echinus