The Clathrinida are an order of calcareous sponges found in marine environments. These sponges have an asconoid structure and lack a true dermal membrane or cortex. The spongocoel is lined with choanocytes.
Clathrina is a genus of calcareous sponge in the family Clathrinidae. Several species formerly in Clathrina were transferred to the newly erected genera Arturia, Ernstia, Borojevia, and Brattegardia in 2013. The name is derived from the Latin word "clathratus" meaning "latticed".
Polymastia is a genus of sea sponges containing about 30 species. These are small to large encrusting or dome-shaped sponges with a smooth surface having many teat-shaped projections (papillae). In areas of strong wave action, this genus does not grow the teat structures, but instead grows in a corrugated form.
Halichondrida is an order of marine demosponges. Demosponges with simple spicules and a generally confused skeletal arrangement are grouped into this order although its monophyly is considered suspect and further taxonomic revision can be expected.
Halichondriidae is a family of marine demosponges belonging to the order Suberitida. These sponges have a skeleton consisting of dense bundles of spicules occurring in a more or less random pattern.
Homoscleromorpha is a class of marine sponges composed of two families: Plakinidae and Oscarellidae.
Halichondria bowerbanki is a species of sponge that lives on rocky surfaces in the shallow subtidal, with occasional intertidal specimens under overhanging rocks. The physical appearance and structure of the species is variable and it has tassel-like irregular branches. Colonies can be up to 25 centimeters high with branches reaching 12 centimeters high. The color of the species is beige to brown in the summer, and light grey/yellow in the winter.
Clathrina izuensis is a sponge species in the genus Clathrina. The species is named after the Izu peninsula where the holotype was collected.
Clathrina multiformis is a species of calcareous sponge from Russia.
The genus name Aaata has been described as a synonym to two species in the Microcionidae family of sea sponges (Demospongiae). The two species being:
Racekiela ryderi is a species of freshwater sponge in the family Spongillidae. It was first described by Edward Potts in 1882. It was collected on Sable Island in 1899 by John Macoun, a biologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, and given the name Heteromeyenia macouni by A.H. Mackay in 1900. It was originally assumed to be endemic to Sable Island but is now considered to be the same species as Racekiela ryderi, which is more broadly distributed.
Pseudospongosorites suberitoides is a species of demosponge belonging to the family Suberitidae. It is currently considered the only species in the genus Pseudospongosorites. It is found in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and on the Atlantic coast of the United States as far north as North Carolina. This species is known by the common name Florida hermit crab sponge, so named because hermit crabs often use it as shelter.
Stylissa flabelliformis, known as the orange fan sponge, is found throughout the tropical oceans. It is usually shaped liked a Japanese fan hence its name. It feeds on plankton. In the wild it prefers to grow on rocky shelves. It is sometime but not often kept by hobby aquarists.
Euplectella is a genus of glass sponges which includes the well-known Venus' Flower Basket.
Pachymatisma is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Geodiidae.
Agelas is a genus of sea sponge in the class Demospongiae.
Guancha apicalis was thought to be a species of calcareous sponge in the genus Guancha from Antarctica. It actually never existed.
Oscarellidae is a family of marine sponges.
