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.

Family Clathrinidae

 * Clathrina contorta (Ascandra contorta)
 * Clathrina coriacea (Ascandra coriacea)
 * Guancha lacunosa

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

Family Hymerhabdiidae

 * Hymerhabdia typica

Family Geodiidae

 * Pachymatisma johnstonia

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 

Family Bubaridae

 * Bubaris vermiculata

Family Dictyonellidae

 * Dictyonella incisa
 * Spongionella pulchella
 * Tethyspira spinosa

Family Halisarcidae

 * Halisarca dujardini

Family Chondrillidae

 * Thymosia guernei

Family Darwinellidae

 * Aplysilla rosea
 * Aplysilla sulfurea

Family Dysideidae

 * Dysidea fragilis
 * Dysidea pallescens

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

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

Family Chalinidae

 * Chalinula limbata
 * Haliclona cinerea
 * Haliclona fistulosa
 * Haliclona oculata (mermaid's glove)
 * Haliclona simulans
 * Haliclona urceolus
 * Haliclona viscosa

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

Family Tetillidae

 * Craniella cranium
 * Craniella zetlandica

Family Ancorinidae

 * Dercitus bucklandi
 * Stryphnus ponderosus
 * Stelletta grubii

Family Ianthellidae

 * Hexadella racovitzai

Family Oscarellidae

 * Oscarella lobularis
 * Oscarella rubra

Family Plakinidae

 * Plakortis simplex