Etymology of sponge types

Question

Sponges (Porifera) come in three body forms - asconoid (vase-shaped), syconoid (pleated vase), and leuconoid (network of chambers, like bath sponges). I was wondering what the etymology of these terms was.  Since they are scientific terms, I'm assuming Classical origin, but I don't know enough Greek or Latin to recognize the roots.

Kris · Accepted Answer

asco- prefix  Lt. < Gk. ἀσκός

Websters: Modern Latin; from Classical Greek askos, wineskin, bladder

syco- prefix Lt. < Gk.

Wordinfo: fig sweet, hollow, pear-shaped, multiple fruit that has numerous tiny seedlike fruits that are eaten fresh or preserved or dried
  Reference.com 1885–90;  < Neo-Latin  < Greek sŷkon  fig

leuco- prefix Lt. < Gk.

< Neo-Latin  < Greek leukón,  noun use of neuter of leukós  white

-oid

Wiktionary: Of similar form to, but not the same as. Having the likeness of. Suffix appended to various words to make an adjective form.
          human → humanoid
          sterol → steroid
          planet → planetoid

SK Gupta · Answer

Possibly, the ‘leucon type’ term stem from the fact that one ‘flagellated chamber’ of the complicated canal system seems to represent one simple individual of ‘Leucosolenia’.

Donkey Hotay · Answer

My Zoology text (Hickman et al., 17th ed.) stated that the name comes from historical accident: the earliest forms of leuconoids that were analyzed happened to be white. If true, it's one more example of scientific nomenclature that should have probably been improved at some point along the way.

Answered by Donkey Hotay on August 17, 2021

Etymology of sponge types

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