Spongia | |
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Spongia officinalis | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Demospongiae |
Order: | Dictyoceratida |
Family: | Spongiidae |
Genus: | Spongia Linnaeus, 1758 |
Species | |
See text | |
Global distribution of Spongia species |
Spongia is a genus of marine sponges in the family Spongiidae, originally described by Carl Linnaeus in 1759, containing more than 60 species. [1] Some species, including Spongia officinalis , are used as cleaning tools, but have mostly been replaced in that use by synthetic or plant material.
The following species are recognised in the genus Spongia: [1]
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.
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.
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.
Stelletta is a genus of sea sponges belonging to the family Ancorinidae.
Tethya is a genus of sea sponges belonging to the family Tethyidae. Members of this genus all have a spherical body form and some are known to be able to move at speeds of between 1 and 4 mm per day.
Clathria is a large genus of demosponges in the family Microcionidae.
Haliclona is a genus of demosponges in the family Chalinidae.
Ircinia is a genus of sea sponges in the family Irciniidae.
Callyspongia is a genus of demosponges in the family Callyspongiidae.
Callyspongiidae is a family of sea sponges in the order Haplosclerida. It contains the following genera and species:
Neopetrosia is a genus of marine petrosiid sponges. It was first established by the American spongiologist Max Walker de Laubenfels in 1932. It contains these 27 species:
Thorectidae is a family of sea sponges in the order Dictyoceratida.
Clathria (Clathria) is a subgenus of demosponge in the family Microcionidae.
Tedania is a genus of sea sponges in the family Tedaniidae.
Mycale is a genus of demosponge with 240 recognised species in 11 subgenera. It has been a large genus with multiple subdivisions since it was first described in 1867.
Hippospongia is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Spongiidae.
Dysidea is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Dysideidae.
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.
Phorbas is a genus of demosponges belonging to the family Hymedesmiidae.