Spicules.org Spicules.org

A database of sponge spicules

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  • Home
  • Intro
    • Sponge classes
    • Poriferan tissue and skeleton
  • Spicules
    • by Photo
    • by Name
    • by Taxonomic group
  • Glossary
  • Contact

Spicules.org is a database of sponge spicules organized by photo, name, and taxonomic group. The website is based on a research paper led by Dr. Magdalena Łukowiak (Institute of Paleobiology, Polish Academy of Sciences) and co-authored by an international team of sponge experts.

Chela

Definition

In D.; a microsclere with curved shaft and recurved alae or teeth on each end (e.g., Poecilosclerida); it can be, for example, iso‐, aniso‐, anomo-, biplaco-, canono-, cerci-, dis-, diastropho‐, naviculi‐, sigmoid chela.

 

Synonyms

Rarely called amphichel or ancora.

Photos

Anomochela
Symbol Spicules.org (white)

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Cite the paper

Please cite the following paper when using this website in your study:

Łukowiak, M., Van Soest, R., Klautau, M., Pérez, T., Pisera, A. & K. Tabachnick. 2022. The terminology of sponge spicules. Journal of Morphology 283 (12): 1517–1545. doi:10.1002/jmor.21520

© 2026 Magdalena Łukowiak
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