| Clionaidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Modern clionaid borings in an oyster shell | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Clionaida |
| Family: | Clionaidae d'Orbigny, 1851 |
| Genera | |
See text | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Clionaidae is a family of ectoparasitic demosponges which are found worldwide. [1] This group of sponges are well known for boring holes in calcareous material such as mollusc shells and coral skeletons, using both chemical and mechanical processes. [2] [3]
Genera within this family include: [1]
Cladorhiza is a genus of carnivorous sponges, comprising around 40 species found in oceans around the world. Cladorhiza is the type genus of the family Cladorhizidae.
Spongilla is a genus of freshwater sponges containing over 200 different species. Spongilla was first publicly recognized in 1696 by Leonard Plukenet and can be found in lakes, ponds and slow streams.Spongilla have a leuconoid body form with a skeleton composed of siliceous spicules. They are sessile organisms, attaching themselves to hard substrate like rocks, logs and sometimes to ground. Using their ostia and osculum these sponges filter the water for various small aquatic organisms such as protozoans, bacteria, and other free-floating pond life. Sponges of the genus Spongilla partake in symbiotic relationships with green algae, zoochlorellae. The symbiotic zoochlorellae give the sponges a green appearance and without them they would appear white.
Halichondriidae is a family of sea sponges belonging to the order Suberitida. These sponges have a skeleton consisting of dense bundles of spicules occurring in a more or less random pattern.
Plakinidae is a family of marine sponges. It is composed of seven genera:
Axinella is a genus of sponges in the family Axinellidae first described in 1862 by Eduard Oscar Schmidt. Species of Axinella occur in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Most of these sponges are smaller than 20 cm, and have a yellow or orange colour.
Cliona is a genus of demosponges in the family Clionaidae. It contains about eighty described species.
Thoosa is a genus of sea sponges in the family Thoosidae. This genus is known for boring holes in corals. It contains sixteen described species.
Haliclona is a genus of demosponges in the family Chalinidae.
Ircinia is a genus of sea sponges in the family Irciniidae.
Auletta is a genus of sponges in the family Bubaridae.
Ancorinidae is a family of marine sponges belonging to the order of Tetractinellida.
Homaxinella is a genus of sea sponges in the family Suberitidae. The type species is Homaxinella balfourensis.
Xestospongia is a genus of sponges in the family Petrosiidae. It contains the following species:
Rossellidae is a family of glass sponges belonging to the order Lyssacinosa. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution and is found at a large range of depths.
Antho is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Microcionidae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution and is known from virtually all parts of the global ocean. There are 62 species in five subgenera.
Bubaridae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Bubarida. It has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Dictyonella is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Dictyonellidae.
Phakellia is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Bubaridae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Paratimea is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Stelligeridae.
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