List of sponges of Ireland
Numbers of sponge species recorded in each of 232 marine ecoregions of the world. Irish waters are shaded red, indicating the high diversity of sponge species.
There are 290 species of sponges recorded in Ireland, although the true figure is thought to be close to 500; 134 species were recorded off Rathlin Island alone.[1][2][3][4]
Sponges are animals of the phylum Porifera; sessile aquatic animals without true tissues.[5]
Class Calcarea (calcareous sponges)[]
Order Clathrinida[]
Family Clathrinidae[]
Clathrina contorta growing on
- Clathrina contorta (Ascandra contorta)
- Clathrina coriacea (Ascandra coriacea)
- Guancha lacunosa
Order Leucosolenida[]
Family Grantiidae[]
- Grantia compressa (purse sponge)
Family Leucosoleniidae[]
- Leucosolenia botryoides
Family Sycettidae[]
Class Demospongiae (horny sponges)[]
Order Agelasida[]
Family Hymerhabdiidae[]
Order Astrophorida[]
Family Geodiidae[]
Order Axinellida[]
Family Raspailiidae[]
Family Stelligeridae[]
Order Bubarida[]
Family Bubaridae[]
Family Dictyonellidae[]
- Tethyspira spinosa
Order Chondrillida[]
Family Halisarcidae[]
Order Chondrosida[]
Family Chondrillidae[]
Order Dendroceratida (keratose/horny sponges)[]
Family Darwinellidae[]
Order Dictyoceratida (keratose/horny sponges)[]
Family Dysideidae[]
Order Hadromerida[]
Family Clionaidae[]
- Cliona celata (red boring sponge)
Family Hemiasterellidae[]
Family Polymastiidae[]
- Polymastia boletiformis (yellow tit-sponge)
- Polymastia penicillus
Family Suberitidae[]
- Terpios fugax
- Laxosuberites
- Suberites ficus
Family Tethyidae[]
- Tethya aurantium (golf ball sponge, orange puffball sponge)
Order Halichondrida[]
Family Axinellidae[]
Axinella damicornis
- Axinella damicornis
- (chalice sponge)
Family Halichondriidae[]
Closeup view of the breadcrumb sponge
- Halichondria bowerbanki (Bowerbank's halichondria)
- Halichondria panicea (breadcrumb sponge)
- Hymeniacidon kitchingi
- Hymeniacidon perlevis (crumb-of-bread sponge)
Order Haplosclerida[]
Family Chalinidae[]
- Haliclona oculata (mermaid's glove)
Order Poecilosclerida[]
Family Acarnidae[]
Family Coelosphaeridae[]
Family Crellidae[]
Family Desmacellidae[]
Family Esperiopsidae[]
Family Hymedesmiidae[]
Family Microcionidae[]
Family Mycalidae[]
Family Myxillidae[]
Order Spirophorida[]
Family Tetillidae[]
Order Tetractinellida[]
Family Ancorinidae[]
Order Verongiida[]
Family Ianthellidae[]
Class Homoscleromorpha[]
Order Homosclerophorida[]
Family Oscarellidae[]
Family Plakinidae[]
References[]
- ^ "Sponges of Britain and Ireland".
- ^ https://www.epa.ie/pubs/reports/research/sss/Classification%20of%20freshwater%20sponges.pdf[bare URL]
- ^ https://www.npws.ie/sites/default/files/publications/pdf/IWM38.pdf[bare URL]
- ^ http://maps.biodiversityireland.ie/SpeciesGroup/39/Species?FullDictionary=false&UseCommonNames=false[bare URL]
- ^ "Irish sea sponges could produce cure for cancer and HIV - Independent.ie".
Categories:
- Fauna of Ireland
- Sponges by location