Rossellidae


Rossellidae is a family of glass sponges belonging to the order Lyssacinosa. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution and is found at a large range of depths.

Description

The body is usually a cup-like structure. In stalked forms the body can be mushroom-like. Spicules protruding beyond the sponge surface, when present, are diactines or specialised outwardly protruding hypodermal pentactines.
The choanosomal skeleton consists of diactines, sometimes together with less frequent hexactines. A large variety of microscleres occur in this family, including a variety of holactinoidal and asterous spicules.

Subfamilies and genera

, WoRMS recognizes three subfamilies and twenty-six genera in the family: