List of sponges of Ireland
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)[edit]
Order Clathrinida[edit]
Family Clathrinidae[edit]
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- Clathrina contorta (Ascandra contorta)
- Clathrina coriacea (Ascandra coriacea)
- Guancha lacunosa
Order Leucosolenida[edit]
Family Grantiidae[edit]
- Grantia compressa (purse sponge)
- Leucandra fistulosa
- Leucandra gossei
- Leuconia johnstoni
- Leuconia nivea
Family Leucosoleniidae[edit]
Family Sycettidae[edit]
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Class Demospongiae (horny sponges)[edit]
Order Agelasida[edit]
Family Hymerhabdiidae[edit]
Order Astrophorida[edit]
Family Geodiidae[edit]
Order Axinellida[edit]
Family Raspailiidae[edit]
- Eurypon viride
- Eurypon clavatum
- Eurypon major
- Hymeraphia breeni
- Hymeraphia elongata
- Hymeraphia stellifera
- Hymeraphia verticillata
- Raspaciona aculeata
- Raspailia hispida
- Raspailia ramosa
Family Stelligeridae[edit]
Order Bubarida[edit]
Family Bubaridae[edit]
Family Dictyonellidae[edit]
Order Chondrillida[edit]
Family Halisarcidae[edit]
Order Chondrosida[edit]
Family Chondrillidae[edit]
Order Dendroceratida (keratose/horny sponges)[edit]
Family Darwinellidae[edit]
Order Dictyoceratida (keratose/horny sponges)[edit]
Family Dysideidae[edit]
Order Hadromerida[edit]
Family Clionaidae[edit]
- Cliona celata (red boring sponge)
- Cliona lobata
Family Hemiasterellidae[edit]
Family Polymastiidae[edit]
- Polymastia agglutinans
- Polymastia boletiformis (yellow tit-sponge)
- Polymastia mamillaris
- Polymastia penicillus
- Polymastia spinula
- Quasillina brevis
- Sphaerotylus grey (B)
- Sphaerotylus spa
Family Suberitidae[edit]
- Terpios fugax
- Laxosuberites
- Protosuberites epiphytum
- Protosuberites incrustans
- Pseudosuberites sulphureus
- Suberites carnosus
- Suberites ficus
- Suberites pagurorum
Family Tethyidae[edit]
- Tethya aurantium (golf ball sponge, orange puffball sponge)
- Tethya citrina
- Tethya hibernica
- Tethya norvegica
Order Halichondrida[edit]
Family Axinellidae[edit]
- Axinella damicornis
- Axinella dissimilis
- Axinella flustra
- Axinella infundibuliformis
- Axinella parva
- Axinella pyramidata
- Axinella rugosa
- Phakellia ventilabrum (chalice sponge)
Family Halichondriidae[edit]
- Halichondria bowerbanki (Bowerbank's halichondria)
- Halichondria panicea (breadcrumb sponge)
- Hymeniacidon kitchingi
- Hymeniacidon perlevis (crumb-of-bread sponge)
- Spongosorites calcicola
Order Haplosclerida[edit]
Family Chalinidae[edit]
- Chalinula limbata
- Haliclona cinerea
- Haliclona fistulosa
- Haliclona oculata (mermaid's glove)
- Haliclona simulans
- Haliclona urceolus
- Haliclona viscosa
Order Poecilosclerida[edit]
Family Acarnidae[edit]
Family Coelosphaeridae[edit]
Family Crellidae[edit]
Family Desmacellidae[edit]
Family Esperiopsidae[edit]
Family Hymedesmiidae[edit]
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- Hemimycale columella
- Hymedesmia cohesibacilla
- Hymedesmia coriacea
- Hymedesmia crami
- Hymedesmia cratera
- Hymedesmia hibernica
- Hymedesmia jecusculum
- Hymedesmia pansa
- Hymedesmia paupertas
- Hymedesmia peachi
- Hymedesmia primitiva
- Hymedesmia rathlinia
- Hymedesmia umbelliformis
- Phorbas fictitius
- Phorbas plumosus
- Phorbas punctatus
- Plocamiancora arndti
- Plocamionida ambigua
- Plocamionida tylotata
- Spanioplon armaturum
- Stylostichon
Family Microcionidae[edit]
- Antho brattegardi
- Antho coriacea
- Antho granditoxa
- Antho inconstans
- Antho involvens
- Clathria armata
- Clathria atrasanguinea
- Clathria barleei
- Clathria elliptichela
- Clathria fallax
- Clathria laevis
- Clathria spinarcus
- Clathria strepsitoxa
- Ophlitaspongia papilla
Family Mycalidae[edit]
Family Myxillidae[edit]
Order Spirophorida[edit]
Family Tetillidae[edit]
Order Tetractinellida[edit]
Family Ancorinidae[edit]
Order Verongiida[edit]
Family Ianthellidae[edit]
Class Homoscleromorpha[edit]
Order Homosclerophorida[edit]
Family Oscarellidae[edit]
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Family Plakinidae[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Sponges of Britain and Ireland".
- ^ "Small Scale Study: Classification of freshwater sponges in Ireland". Environmental Protection Agency. 2013.
- ^ Ferriss, S. E.; Smith, K. G.; Inskipp, T. P., eds. (2009). "Irish Biodiversity: a taxonomic inventory of fauna" (PDF). National Parks & Wildlife Service.
- ^ "Species - Biodiversity Maps". maps.biodiversityireland.ie.
- ^ "Irish sea sponges could produce cure for cancer and HIV". Independent.ie.