| Heteroscleromorpha | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Axinella polypoides | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Subclass: | Heteroscleromorpha Cárdenas, Pérez & Boury-Esnault, 2012 [2] |
| Orders | |
| |
| Synonyms | |
List
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Heteroscleromorpha is a subclass of demosponges within the phylum Porifera. [3]
Among the demosponge group heteroscleromorpha are significantly important as they contain the largest number of taxa with an estimate of 5000 species.
Sponges or sea sponges are members of the metazoan phylum Porifera, a basal animal clade and a sister taxon of the diploblasts. They are sessile filter feeders that are bound to the seabed, and are one of the most ancient members of macrobenthos, with many historical species being important reef-building organisms.
The calcareoussponges are members of the animal phylum Porifera, the cellular sponges. They are characterized by spicules made of calcium carbonate, in the form of high-magnesium calcite or aragonite. While the spicules in most species are triradiate, some species may possess two- or four-pointed spicules. Unlike other sponges, calcareans lack microscleres, tiny spicules which reinforce the flesh. In addition, their spicules develop from the outside-in, mineralizing within a hollow organic sheath.
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.
Homosclerophorida is an order of marine sponges. It is the only order in the monotypic class Homoscleromorpha. The order is composed of two families: Plakinidae and Oscarellidae.
Spicules are structural elements found in most sponges. The meshing of many spicules serves as the sponge's skeleton and thus it provides structural support and potentially defense against predators.
Poecilosclerida is an order of the demosponge class. It is the most speciose demosponge order with over 2200 species. It contains about 25 recognised families. They are characterised by having chelae microscleres, that is, the minute spicules scattered through the tissues, usually in the 10-60 μm range, have a shovel-like structure on the end.
Cliona patera, commonly called Neptune's cup sponge, is a species of demosponge in the family Clionaidae.
Dictyoceratida is an order of sponges in the subclass Ceractinomorpha containing five families. Along with the Dendroceratida, it is one of the two orders of demosponges that make up the keratose or "horny" sponges, in which a mineral skeleton is minimal or absent and a skeleton of organic fibers containing spongin, a collagen-like material, is present instead.
Geodia barretti is a massive deep-sea sponge species found in the boreal waters of the North Atlantic Ocean, and is fairly common on the coasts of Norway and Sweden. It is a dominant species in boreal sponge grounds. Supported by morphology and molecular data, this species is classified in the family Geodiidae.
Axinellida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha. The order contains the families Axinellidae, Heteroxyidae, Raspailiidae, and Stelligeridae.
Bubarida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha.
Clionaida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha.
Tethyida is an order of sea sponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha.
Biemnida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha.
Merliida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha, first described as such by Jean Vacelet in 1979.
Spongillida is an order of freshwater sponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha.
Geodia megastrella is a species of sponge in the family Geodiidae. It is a type of demosponge found in the deep temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. It has characteristic stellar-shaped large spicules coined 'megastrellum', hence its name. The species was first described by Henry John Carter in 1876, after dredging it up aboard H.M.S. 'Porcupine', near the Cape St. Vincent in Portugal.
Baeriidae is a family of calcareous sponges in the class Calcarea. It was named by Borojevic, Boury-Esnault, and Vacelet in 2000. The type genus is BaeriaMiklucho-Maclay, 1870, by original designation, though Baeria is now considered a junior synonym of LeuconiaGrant, 1833.
Gert Wörheide is a German marine biologist who works mainly on marine invertebrates. He earned his doctorate in geobiology from Georg-August-Universität, following this with a post-doctorate at Queensland Museum (1998-2002), where he worked with John Hooper on sponges, a collaboration which continues.
Michelle Kelly, also known as Michelle Kelly-Borges, is a New Zealand scientist who specialises in sponges, their chemistry, their evolution, taxonomy, systematics, and ecology.
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