Topsent, 1928
Definition: Encrusting, massive and branching sponges; surface with characteristic groups of pores (areolated porefields). Megascleres are smooth diactinal tornotes (oxeotes or strongylotes), grouped together or scattered in the ectosome but never forming a crust, lying perpendicular, tangential, or paratangential to the surface. Choanosomal spicules usually identical to those in the ectosome but sometimes reduced to only acanthostyles; they form thick plumose or plumo-reticulate tracts in the choanosome, with only poorly developed spongin fibres, and echinated by 1-2 sizes of acantho-styles. Microscleres may include arcuate isochelae, and sigmas, never toxas or raphides.
Remarks: This family is suspect and will be merged with Hymedesmiidae in a forthcoming revision. 16 nominal genera are included in this family, of which only 5 are valid.
Source: Hooper's Internet Sponge Guide.
Genera represented in the area:
Phorbas Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864 (type species: Phorbas amaranthus Duchassaing and Michelotti, 1864) (syn. Anchinoe Gray, 1867; Clathrissa Lendenfeld, 1888; Grayax de Laubenfels, 1936; Lissopocillon Ferrer-Hernandez, 1916; Merriamium de Laubenfels, 1936; Plumohalichondria Carter, 1876; Podotuberculum Bakus, 1966; Pronax Gray, 1867; Pronaxella Burton, 1931; Suberotelites Schmidt, 1868; Stylostichon sensu Topsent, 1892): oscules grouped in sieve-plates; ectosomal skeleton with a crust of isochelae and diactinal spicules which form fans disposed at right angles and tangential to the surface; heavily spined acanthostyles core plumose or plumo-reticulate choanosomal tracts, or these may be occasionally replaced by smooth diactinal tornotes; echinating acanthostyles also heavily spined; microscleres are arcuate isochelae and sigmas. Cosmopolitan. Reference: Voultsiadou-Koukoura and van Soest (1991).
Plocamionida Topsent, 1927 (type species: Microciona ambigua Bowerbank, 1866) (syn. Hymendectyon Bakus, 1966): encrusting; ectosomal skeleton contains paratangential brushes of tornotes; choanosomal skeleton with hymedesmoid architecture with long smooth styles erect on the substrate, singly or in bundles, and protruding through the surface, long acanthostyles and short acanthostrongyles forming a reticulate basal skeleton, and also short echinating acanthostyles erect on the substrate and clustered around the bases of the long spicules; microscleres are arcuate isochelae.
Species included:
Phorbas bihamiger
Phorbas dendyi
Phorbas dives
Phorbas fictitius
Phorbas lieberkuehni
Phorbas microchelifer
Phorbas neptuni
Phorbas plumosus
Plocamionida ambigua