The
original description considered it closest to
Asbestopluma hydra;
Lycopodina was originally a
species group within
Asbestopluma, and was subsequently elevated to genus level.
L. hypogea is a
stipitate sponge, possessing a stalk which is fixed onto the
substrate by an enlarged, unbranched base; its egg-shaped (ovoid) body is distinct from the stalk. Individuals possess 30-60 lateral filaments protruding from their body which are covered in
hook-like
spicules. Their stalk is long and in diameter. Their
tissues are composed of a matrix of
megascleres and
microscleres embedded in
spongin; their anatomy consists of low-density tissues,
collagen fibrils,
symbiotic bacteria, and various cell-types, including
undifferentiated cells.
Choanocyte chamber and canals are absent in this species, which is also seen in other cladorhizids. == Distribution ==