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]
Order [Leucosolenida]
Family [Grantiidae]
- Grantia compressa
- Leucandra fistulosa
- Leucandra gossei
- Leuconia johnstoni
- ''Leuconia nivea''
Family [Leucosoleniidae]
- Leucosolenia botryoides
- Leucosolenia complicata
- ''Leucosolenia variabilis''
Family [Sycettidae]
Class [Demospongiae] (horny sponges)
Order [Agelasida]
Family [Hymerhabdiidae]
- ''Hymerhabdia typica''
Order [Astrophorida]
Family [Geodiidae]
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
- ''Cliona lobata''
Family [Hemiasterellidae]
- ''Paratimea constellata''
Family [Polymastiidae]
- Polymastia agglutinans
- Polymastia boletiformis
- 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
- 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''
Family [Halichondriidae]
- Halichondria bowerbanki
- Halichondria panicea
- Hymeniacidon kitchingi
- Hymeniacidon perlevis
- ''Spongosorites calcicola''
Order [Haplosclerida]
Family [Chalinidae]
- Chalinula limbata
- Haliclona cinerea
- Haliclona fistulosa
- Haliclona oculata
- 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]
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''