Synoptic List of Selected Orders of Porifera

Class Demospongiae Sollas- marine or freshwater; with a siliceous skeleton in which megascleres are usually either monaxons or tetraxons, a triaxon being present as a major spicule type in one subclass only. Microscleres of diverse types. The spicule skeleton can be supplemented or replaced by a spongin skeleton which is utilized either as a cementing element for the mineral skeleton, or to form fibers. Some genera have lost all specialized skeletal components. Subclass Tetractinomorpha Levi- the typical reproductive pattern is oviparous; the eggs are axtruded and development , which is either direct or by way of a larval stage, is external. The typical larvae are parenchymellae; megascleres are tetraxonid and monaxonid; microscleres most frequently asterose, though sigmas and raphides also occur. Order Choristida Sollas- microscleres are asters, sometimes accompanied by microoxeas; megascleres are tetractinal and oxeote. Family Tetillidae Sollas- Tetilla, Cinachyra Order Hadromerida Topsent- with megasclere skeleton, composed of monactinal spicules which are always tylostyles or subtylostyles; spongin present but never as fibers, thus, the consistency of these sponges is firm but non-elastic. Microscleres frequently absent, but where present they are asterose or micro-oxeas. Development is oviparous with eggs extruded and development external. Family Spirastrellidae Ridley and Dendy- encrusting or massive erect; megascleres are tylostyles and the microscleres spirasters. Ex., Spirastrella vagabunda Family Clionidae Gray- sponges which are capable of excavating burrows in any calcareous material, coralline algae, shells or coral. Megascleres are tylostyles and the microscleres spirasters, micro-oxeas or amphiasters. Ex. Cliona Family Tethyidae Graymassive, usually spherical; megascleres are never tylostyles, but are a special type of subtylostyle known as strongyloxea. This is a spicule in which the two ends are different, usually rounded at the broad end and tapering to a point distally. Ex., Tethya Subclass Ceractinomorpha Levi- the typical reproductive pattern is viviparous (most species incubate parenchymella larvae); megascleres always monaxonid, triaenes are never present; microscleres are generally sigmoid or chelate, never asterose. Spongin is an almost universal component of the skeleton, being absent only in one family, Halisarcidae. Order Halichondrida Topsent- microscleres absent; megascleres are oxeas, styles or strongyles in many combinations. Family Halichondriidae Vosmaer- the principal megascleres are diactines, mainly oxeas, although accessory styles may be present. Ex., Halichondria Order Poecilosclerida Topsent- the largest, and structurally most diverse order; skeleton is always a combination of spicules and spongin fibers; megascleres are monactine or diactine; spiny spicules common. Microsclere types are varied, basically chelate, sigmoid, or toxiform. Larvae are parenchymellae with incomplete ciliation/flagellation. Family Biemnidae Hentschel- skeleton of smooth styles; microscleres abundant and diverse, including sigmas, micro-oxeas and toxas. Ex., Biemna fortis Family Clathriidae Hentschel- styles or acanthostyles are the principal spicules; microscleres are isochelae and toxas. Ex. Clathria Order Haplosclerida Topsent- with a reticulate skeleton (rectangular or triangular meshes) which can be unispicular, multispicular or constructed entirely of fiber with spicules lacking; spicules normally oxeas or strongyles; microscleres, when present, are sigmas and toxas; larvae are incompletely ciliated; the posterior pole is bare, often pigmented.

Family Haliclonidae De Laubenfelsspicules of uniformly small size, always consolidated by spongin; spongin can become much more prominent than spicules; microscleres typically absent. Ex., Haliclona, Sigmadocia Family Adociidae- oxeas and strongyles common; microscleres, when present, are sigmas and toxas; most species emphasize the siliceous spicules rather than the fibers, and are thus very crisp and brittle. Ex., Adocia Family Callyspongiidae De Laubenfels- with oxeote or strongylote spicules largely enclosed inside spongin fibers; in some cases, no spicules are present; all species have a massive spongin skeleton which may incorporate detritus instead of spicules; microscleres, when present, are toxas. Ex. Callyspongia fallax Family Spongillidae Gray- fresh-water sponges; spicules are smooth or spined oxeas, or strongyles, organized into bundles and bound by spongin; production of gemmules is characteristic. Ex., Spongilla, Ephydatia Order Dictyoceratida Minchin- the spicule skeleton is lacking and is replaced by a spongin fiber skeleton often of great complexity and constructed upon an anastomosing pattern. Family Spongiidae Gray- with small flagellated chambers and fibers which are homogeneous in cross-section. Ex., Spongia officinalis, Phyllospongia Order Dendroceratida Minchin- lack siliceous spicules; with a skeleton composed entirely of spongin fibers arranged on a dendritic pattern, rarely anastomosing. In one family (Halisarcidae), the spongin skeleton is lost completely. Ex., Halisarca Class Sclerospongiae Hartman and Goreau- sponges which secrete a compound skeleton of siliceous spicules, spongin fibers and calcium carbonate, the latter deposited as a basal mass. Order Ceratoporellida Hartman and Goreau- with a compound skeleton composed of a basal mass of aragonite, spongin fibers and siliceous spicules that become entrapped in the calcareous skeleton. Ex., Ceratoporella Class Hexactinellida Schmidt- exclusively marine sponges with a siliceous mineral skeleton composed largely of spicules with a hexactinal structure; both megascleres and microscleres are always present. Subclass Hexasterophora Schulze- micoscleres of the hexaster type; megascleres sometimes free, but more frequently are fused into a rigid skeletal framework; normally grow attached to a hard substrate, some anchored by means of basal spicule tufts or mats; choanocyte chambers are thimble-shaped and clearly set off from each other. Order Lyssacina Zittel- megascleres arranged into a regular lattice; with a sieve plate over the osculum. Ex. Euplectella aspergillum Class Calcarea Bowerbank- exclusively marine; skeleton composed entirely of calcium carbonate; skeletal elements not differentiated into megascleres and microscleres. Subclass Calcinea Bidder- the free larvae are blastulae which can become solid by cellular ingression to produce a parenchymella-like structure, the coeloblastula. Choanocyte nuclei are basal and the flagellum arises independently of the choanocyte nucleus; triactinal spicules when present are mainly equiangular. Order Clathrinida Hartman- spongocoel is asconoid, lined by choanocytes throughout life. There can be some folding inwards, but not accompanied by parallel folding of the pinacoderm and mesohyl. No cortical development. Ex., Clathrina Subclass Calcaronea Bidder- the larvae are amphiblastulae, the choanocyte nuclei are apical and each flagellum arises directly from the choanocyte nucleus. Order Leucosoleniida Hartman- spongocoel is lined by choanocytes throughout life; no cortical development. Family Leucosoleniidae- spicules triradiates, quadriradiates oxeas (with lanceolate distal ends).

Ex., Leucosolenia variabilis (asconoid type; oscules terminal on erect tubes; long, freestanding tubes). Family Grantiidae- ex., Grantia compressa (flat, may be tubular or composed of contorted flat lobes, short stalk; white, occasionally brown; with single smooth-rimmed terminal oscule). Order Sycettida Bidder- syconoid to leuconoid canal systems; choanocytes restricted to choanocyte chambers; cortical and dermal structures are developed. Family Sycettidae- oxeas long and thin, straight and tapering gradually to pointed extremities. Ex., Sycon ciliatum (off white, grey or brown; papillate and hairy, with single terminal oscule, usually fringed with a crown of spicules).