# 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.
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