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.

Sponges are animals of the phylum Porifera; sessile aquatic animals without true tissues.

Class Calcarea (calcareous sponges)

Order Clathrinida

Family Clathrinidae

• 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

• Leucosolenia botryoides
• Leucosolenia complicata
• Leucosolenia variabilis

Family Sycettidae

• Sycon ciliatum
• Sycon elegans

Class Demospongiae (horny sponges)

Order Agelasida

Family Hymerhabdiidae

• Hymerhabdia typica

Order Astrophorida

Family Geodiidae

• Pachymatisma johnstonia

Order Axinellida

Family Raspailiidae

• Eurypon viride
• Eurypon clavatum
• Eurypon major
• Hymeraphia breeni
• Hymeraphia elongata
• Hymeraphia stellifera
• Hymeraphia verticillata
• Raspaciona aculeata
• Raspailia hispida
• Raspailia ramosa

Family Stelligeridae

• Halicnemia patera
• Stelligera rigida
• Stelligera stuposa

Order Bubarida

Family Bubaridae

• Bubaris vermiculata

Family Dictyonellidae

• Dictyonella incisa
• Spongionella pulchella
• Tethyspira spinosa

Order Chondrillida

Family Halisarcidae

• Halisarca dujardini

Order Chondrosida

Family Chondrillidae

• Thymosia guernei

Order Dendroceratida (keratose/horny sponges)

Family Darwinellidae

• Aplysilla rosea
• Aplysilla sulfurea

Order Dictyoceratida (keratose/horny sponges)

Family Dysideidae

• Dysidea fragilis
• Dysidea pallescens

Order Hadromerida

Family Clionaidae

• Cliona celata (red boring sponge)
• Cliona lobata

Family Hemiasterellidae

• Paratimea constellata

Family Polymastiidae

• 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

• Tethya aurantium (golf ball sponge, orange puffball sponge)
• Tethya citrina
• Tethya hibernica
• Tethya norvegica

Order Halichondrida

Family Axinellidae

• Axinella damicornis
• Axinella dissimilis
• Axinella flustra
• Axinella infundibuliformis
• Axinella parva
• Axinella pyramidata
• Axinella rugosa
• Phakellia ventilabrum (chalice sponge)

Family Halichondriidae

• 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

• Iophon hyndmani
• Iophon nigricans

Family Coelosphaeridae

• Lissodendoryx jenjonesae

Family Crellidae

• Crella plana
• Crella rosea

Family Desmacellidae

• Biemna variantia
• Desmacella annexa

Family Esperiopsidae

• Amphilectus fucorum
• Amphilectus lobatus
• Esperiopsis
• Ulosa stuposa

Family Hymedesmiidae

• 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

• Mycale contarenii
• Mycale lingua
• Mycale macilenta
• Mycale minima
• Mycale rotalis
• Mycale subclavata

Family Myxillidae

• Myxilla ancorata
• Myxilla fimbriata
• Myxilla incrustans
• Myxilla rosacea

Order Spirophorida

Family Tetillidae

• Craniella cranium
• Craniella zetlandica

Order Tetractinellida

Family Ancorinidae

• Dercitus bucklandi
• Stryphnus ponderosus
• Stelletta grubii

Order Verongiida

Family Ianthellidae

• Hexadella racovitzai

Class Homoscleromorpha

Order Homosclerophorida

Family Oscarellidae

• Oscarella lobularis
• Oscarella rubra

Family Plakinidae

• Plakortis simplex

References

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