| Coelosphaeridae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Forcepia (Forcepia) vansoetsi | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Poecilosclerida |
| Family: | Coelosphaeridae (Dendy, 1992) |
| Genera | |
See text. | |
Coelosphaeridae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Poecilosclerida. [1] Species are found across the globe. [1]
Originally it was believed that this family was restricted to hollow, bladder-like, spherical, club-shaped, tubular, and cushion-shaped growth forms. Other forms, however, were found to have similar spiculation so have since been included, while other genera such as Coelocarteria were removed due to their differing spiculation. [2] [3] This family now contains a diverse array of forms, including fistular (hollow), branching, massive and encrusting sponges. The surface is typically smooth in fistular forms. It is usually irregularly pitted in non-fistular forms, but areolated (colour ringed) pore-fields are absent. [2]
The skeletal architecture is similar to that of the myxillid sponges. Both groups are made of a network of tracts that form an isodictyal skeleton. The usual brushes of tornotes assume a partially tangential position. In the bladder-like fistular forms, the skeleton making up the choanosome (inner part of the sponge) is absent or reduced to a few wispy bundles. [2] In species belonging to the Forcepia (Leptolabis) subgenus, it is hymedesmioid. [2] Like in other families of the order Poecilosclerida, sponges with very similar skeletons and spicules may differ only in the presence or absence of spined acanthostyles (spiny monoaxon spicules that are rounded at one end). These, however have low phylogenetic importance and are typically only used at the subgenus level in the larger genera. [2]
The microscleres include sigmas (curved at both ends) and raphides (thin needles). [2]
While a total of 39 genera have been suggested to occur in this family, only the following are recognised: [3] [2]
Demosponges (Demospongiae) are the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera. They include greater than 90% of all species of sponges with nearly 8,800 species worldwide. They are sponges with a soft body that covers a hard, often massive skeleton made of calcium carbonate, either aragonite or calcite. They are predominantly leuconoid in structure. Their "skeletons" are made of spicules consisting of fibers of the protein spongin, the mineral silica, or both. Where spicules of silica are present, they have a different shape from those in the otherwise similar glass sponges. Some species, in particular from the Antarctic, obtain the silica for spicule building from the ingestion of siliceous diatoms.
Chondrocladia is a genus of carnivorous demosponges of the family Cladorhizidae. Neocladia was long considered a junior synonym, but has recently become accepted as a distinct genus.
Halichondria is a genus of sea sponges belonging to the family Halichondriidae. These are massive, amorphous sponges with clearly separated inner and outer skeletons consisting of bundles of spicules arranged in a seemingly random pattern.
Suberites is a genus of sea sponges in the family Suberitidae. Sponges, known scientifically as Porifera, are the oldest metazoans and are used to elucidate the basics of multicellular evolution. These living fossils are ideal for studying the principal features of metazoans, such as extracellular matrix interactions, signal-receptor systems, nervous or sensory systems, and primitive immune systems. Thus, sponges are useful tools with which to study early animal evolution. They appeared approximately 580 million years ago, in the Ediacaran.
Mycalidae is a family of marine demosponges.
Homaxinella is a genus of sea sponges in the family Suberitidae. The type species is Homaxinella balfourensis.
Myxilla is a genus of demosponge belonging to the family Myxillidae. These sponges usually form encrustations on rock surfaces.
Cladorhizidae is a family of carnivorous demosponges found in deep-sea environments worldwide. These sponges are known for their unique feeding structures and predatory behavior, as they capture and consume small animals such as crustaceans.
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.
Tedania is a genus of sea sponges in the family Tedaniidae.
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.
Acarnidae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Poecilosclerida. It has a global distribution, although several genera occur primarily in colder temperate waters, and several have very restricted ranges. It is estimated that there are several hundred species.
Iophon is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Acarnidae. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution.
Acarnus is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Acarnidae. The genus has almost cosmopolitan distribution.
Phellodermidae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Poecilosclerida, first described by Rob van Soest and Eduardo Hajdu in 2002.
Hamacantha is a genus of sponges in the family Hamacanthidae. This species in this genus differ from those in the other genera in this family through the presence of diancistras, distinctive microscleres. These are thought to aid in framing the skeleton by joining monactine megascleres. This genus contains 30 species in three subgenera.
Penares is a widely distributed genus of demosponges.
Tetilla is a genus of demosponges in the family Tetillidae. It is widely distributed. They are mainly found in deeper habitats.
Rosella is a genus of glass sponges in the family Rossellidae. It is found in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.
Monanchora is a genus of demosponges belonging to the family Crambeida. The genus contains 18 species, which have been researched for their potential use in medicine.