Category: Porifera

Belongs within: Porifera.Contains: Pharetronida. Calcarea, the calcareous sponges, are a group of sponges characterised by the possession of calcitic spicules secreted intercellularly within an organic sheath, and the absence of distinct microscleres (Botting & Butterfield 2005). All species are viviparous hermaphrodites (Adl et al. 2019). Calcarea [Calcispongia, Calcispongiae] |–GravestockiaEL11 `–+–Calcinea [Stellispongiida]AS12 | |–Murrayona [Murrayonida]AS12 | | `–M. phanolepis Kirkpatrick… Continue reading Calcarea

Belongs within: Porifera.Contains: Monocyathida, Capsulocyathida, Ajacicyathida, Cribricyathida, Vologdinophyllida, Archaeocyathida. The Archaeocyatha are sessile organisms known from the Cambrian that possessed a more or less cup-shaped body form. Most recent authors have regarded the archaeocyaths as sponges, though earlier researchers have aligned them with corals or even excluded them from the animals. Archaeocyaths have historically been… Continue reading Archaeocyatha

Belongs within: Porifera.Contains: Hexasterophora, Amphidiscophora. The Hexactinellida, glass sponges, are a group of sponges with a skeleton composed of silica, around which the (relatively sparse) cellular material is mostly conjoined into a multinucleate syncytium. They are first recognised in the fossil record during the early Cambrian (Erwin et al. 2011). Characters (Adl et al. 2012): Siliceous spicules… Continue reading Hexactinellida

Belongs within: Tetractinellida. The Tetillidae, golf-ball sponges, are a widespread group of mostly globular demosponges. The primary spicules in the skeleton are oxeas, along with long-shafted triaenes. Characters (Van Soest & Rützler 2002): Typically with spherical growth form, often with characteristic pits (porocalices) containing inhalant and occasionally also exhalant orifices. Cortical region often strengthened by… Continue reading Tetillidae

Belongs within: Demospongiae. The Solenoporaceae are an assemblage of calcified fossils that have been recognised from the Ordovician to the Miocene. Though historically recognised as red algae, at least the type species appears to be better interpreted as a sponge; the affinities of other species require reassessment (Riding 2004). Characters (Riding 2004): Skeleton typically heavily calcified, nodular,… Continue reading Solenoporaceae

Belongs within: Porifera.Contains: Solenoporaceae, Stromatoporoidea, Hazeliidae, Ceractinomorpha, Heteroscleromorpha. The Demospongiae is a group of sponges characterised by the presence of spicules composed of silicon dioxide, spongin fibres or a combination of the two. The earliest definite body fossils of the Demospngiae date from the early Cambrian period, though chemical biomarkers suggest a much earlier origin… Continue reading Demospongiae

Belongs within: Tetractinellida. The Geodiidae are a family of sponges characterised by a two-layered cortex, with ball-shaped spicules (sterrasters) in the inner layer. They are predominantly found on soft bottoms in the bathyal zone, but some species are found in dark habitats such as crevices in more shallow waters (Uriz 2002). Both inhalant and exhalant… Continue reading Geodiidae

Belongs within: Tetractinellida. The Ancorinidae are a diverse and poorly-defined group of demosponges with major spicules composed of oxeas (rods terminally tapering to a point) and/or triaenes (rods with ends divided into three). Many species exhibit characteristic growth forms. Characters (Uriz 2002): Skeleton with long-rhabdome triaenes, which may be reduced or absent, and oxeas. Microscleres… Continue reading Ancorinidae

Belongs within: Heteroscleromorpha. The Anthaspidellidae are an assemblage of Palaeozoic sponges with a relatively regular, simple skeletal structure (Carrera & Rigby 2004). <==Anthaspidellidae [Heliospongiidae]    |–Brianispongia Pickett & Rigby 1983RB04    |–Virgaspongia Rigby & Manger 1994RB04    |–Cauliculospongia Rigby & Chatterton 1989RB04    |–Pseudomultistella Deng 1981RB04    |–Dactylites Finks 1960RB04    |–Jereina Finks 1960RB04    |–Lissocoelia Bassler 1927RB04    |–Velellospongia Liu, Rigby et al. 1998RB04    |–Coelocladia spinosa Girty 1908RB93    |–Capsospongia undulata (Walcott 1920)RB93    |–FieldospongiaRB93    |–Timorella permica… Continue reading Anthaspidellidae

Belongs within: Ceractinomorpha.Contains: Spongia. The Dictyoceratida are a group of demosponges lacking siliceous spicules, with the skeleton usually being composed entirely of spongin fibres. One species, Vaceletia crypta, has a hypercalcified basal skeleton composed of irregularly structered aragonite (Morrow & Cárdenas 2015). Members of the family Irciniidae possess fine collagenous filaments in addition to the… Continue reading Dictyoceratida