1888 Rolleston & Jackson Anim. Life 252The hyaline lamellae are secreted by pear-shaped cells or *spongoblasts.., which are probably modified connective tissue or mesodermic cells. [ in sponges]
Ibid. 798 note,According to von Lendenfeld,..these cells..are destructive in nature,—hence *spongoclasts.
1945 M. F. Glaessner Princ. Micropalaeont. ii. 23Some rocks known as *spongolites are largely formed of siliceous sponge spicules.
1963 Geol. Mag. C. 296The Ardagh spongolites appear to have been laid down as a biohermal deposit.
1968 R. W. Fairbridge Encycl. Geomorphol. 780In rare cases, sponge banks accumulate quite extensive deposits of siliceous spicules (spongolite or sometimes ‘spiculite’).
1860 Maury Phys. Geog. Sea xiv. §614 note,It would not be strange if these fifty-two forms were *spongoliths.
1883 in Adderley Fisheries Bahamas 43Three distinct..Mediterranean forms are usually recognised, both by the trade and scientific *spongologists.
1889 Athenæum 13 July 67/3 No more fascinating branch of natural history exists than the new *spongology.
1892 Herkomer Etching 104A ‘*Spongotype’. Enough can be seen in this imperfect illustration to gauge the possibilities of the process. It is printed from the untouched (steel-surfaced) electrotype.
1940 L. H. Hyman Invertebrates I. vi. 288A radially symmetrical vase-like body consisting of a thin wall enclosing a large central cavity, the *spongocoel, opening at the summit by the narrowed osculum.
1988 Zool. Jrnl. Linn. Soc. XCIV. 230Such an arrangement is not conspicuous in other sponge associates, living in the host spongocoel.
spongo-
combining form
Etymology: Greek spong-, spongo-, from spongos — more at fungus
: sponge
< spongology >
< spongology >