List of sponges of Ireland
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![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Global_diversity_of_the_Porifera.png/300px-Global_diversity_of_the_Porifera.png)
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
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/ab/Clathrina_coriacea_%28Montagu%2C_1818%29_sur_Spirastrella_cunctatrix_Schmidt%2C_1868.jpg/220px-Clathrina_coriacea_%28Montagu%2C_1818%29_sur_Spirastrella_cunctatrix_Schmidt%2C_1868.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Guancha_lacunosa.jpg/220px-Guancha_lacunosa.jpg)
- Clathrina contorta (Ascandra contorta)
- Clathrina coriacea (Ascandra coriacea)
- Guancha lacunosa
Order Leucosolenida
Family Grantiidae
- Grantia compressa (purse sponge)
- Leucandra fistulosa
- Leucandra gossei
- Leuconia johnstoni
- Leuconia nivea
Family Leucosoleniidae
Family Sycettidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b9/The_American_Museum_journal_%28c1900-%281918%29%29_%2818161026511%29.jpg/220px-The_American_Museum_journal_%28c1900-%281918%29%29_%2818161026511%29.jpg)
Class Demospongiae (horny sponges)
Order Agelasida
Family Hymerhabdiidae
Order Astrophorida
Family Geodiidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3e/Pachymatisma_johnstonia.jpg/220px-Pachymatisma_johnstonia.jpg)
Order Axinellida
Family Raspailiidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/da/Raspailia_ramosa_-_Carantec.jpg/220px-Raspailia_ramosa_-_Carantec.jpg)
- Eurypon viride
- Eurypon clavatum
- Eurypon major
- Hymeraphia breeni
- Hymeraphia elongata
- Hymeraphia stellifera
- Hymeraphia verticillata
- Raspaciona aculeata
- Raspailia hispida
- Raspailia ramosa
Family Stelligeridae
Order Bubarida
Family Bubaridae
Family Dictyonellidae
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)
- Cliona lobata
Family Hemiasterellidae
Family Polymastiidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Polymastia_boletiformis.jpg/220px-Polymastia_boletiformis.jpg)
- Polymastia agglutinans
- Polymastia boletiformis (yellow tit-sponge)
- Polymastia mamillaris
- Polymastia penicillus
- Polymastia spinula
- Quasillina brevis
- Sphaerotylus grey (B)
- Sphaerotylus spa
Family Suberitidae
- Terpios fugax
- Laxosuberites
- Protosuberites epiphytum
- Protosuberites incrustans
- Pseudosuberites sulphureus
- Suberites carnosus
- Suberites ficus
- Suberites pagurorum
Family Tethyidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1e/Tethya_aurantia.jpg/220px-Tethya_aurantia.jpg)
- Tethya aurantium (golf ball sponge, orange puffball sponge)
- Tethya citrina
- Tethya hibernica
- Tethya norvegica
Order Halichondrida
Family Axinellidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b2/Axinella_damicornis.jpg/220px-Axinella_damicornis.jpg)
- Axinella damicornis
- Axinella dissimilis
- Axinella flustra
- Axinella infundibuliformis
- Axinella parva
- Axinella pyramidata
- Axinella rugosa
- Phakellia ventilabrum (chalice sponge)
Family Halichondriidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Halichondria_panicea.jpg/220px-Halichondria_panicea.jpg)
- Halichondria bowerbanki (Bowerbank's halichondria)
- Halichondria panicea (breadcrumb sponge)
- Hymeniacidon kitchingi
- Hymeniacidon perlevis (crumb-of-bread sponge)
- Spongosorites calcicola
Order Haplosclerida
Family Chalinidae
- Chalinula limbata
- Haliclona cinerea
- Haliclona fistulosa
- Haliclona oculata (mermaid's glove)
- Haliclona simulans
- Haliclona urceolus
- Haliclona viscosa
Order Poecilosclerida
Family Acarnidae
Family Coelosphaeridae
Family Crellidae
Family Desmacellidae
Family Esperiopsidae
Family Hymedesmiidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a8/Hemimycale_columella_1_%28Bowerbank%2C_1874%29.jpg/220px-Hemimycale_columella_1_%28Bowerbank%2C_1874%29.jpg)
- 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
- 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
Family Myxillidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Myxilla_incrustans.jpg/220px-Myxilla_incrustans.jpg)
Order Spirophorida
Family Tetillidae
Order Tetractinellida
Family Ancorinidae
Order Verongiida
Family Ianthellidae
Class Homoscleromorpha
Order Homosclerophorida
Family Oscarellidae
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Oscarella_lobularis_%28Schmidt%2C_1862%29.jpg/220px-Oscarella_lobularis_%28Schmidt%2C_1862%29.jpg)
Family Plakinidae
References
- ^ "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.