Gray, 1867
Definition: Astrophorida with long-shafted triaenes and huge oxeas and/or strongyles as megascleres. Microscleres always include sterrasters, which are modified to aspidasters in Erylus . These form a closely packed cortical armour at the surface (G. papyracea cross section), causing an invariably smooth and even surface. Other microscleres that may be present are euasters, microrhabds and spherules (siliceous grains probably derived from euasters). The shape of the sponges varies from thickly encrusting to massive to shallow-bowl forms. Oscules and pores may be arranged in sieve-plate concentrations sometimes hidden in hollows.
Remarks: The family includes at least five genera Geodia , Isops , Caminus , Pachymatisma and Erylus , the first of which which is further subdivided in several subgenera (occasionally considered full genera; cf. Topsent, 1894a; Lévi, 1973).
Source: Hartman, 1982.
Genera represented in the area:
Caminus Schmidt, 1862 (type species C . vulcani Schmidt, 1862): surface cover of sterrasters and siliceous spheres (Caminus vulcani spics).
Erylus Gray, 1867 (type species Stelletta mamillaris Schmidt, 1862): surface cover of aspidasters and microrhabds.
Geodia Lamarck, 1815 (type species Geodia gibberosa Lamarck, 1815) (syn. Pyxitis Schmidt, 1870; Cydonium Fleming, 1828; Sollas, 1880; Synops Vosmaer, 1882; Sidonops Sollas, 1880; Geodinella Lendenfeld, 1910): oscules and pores lead into well-developed subectosomal spaces; surface skeleton of sterrasters and euasters (Geodia asters).
Isops Sollas, 1880 (type species I . phlegraei Sollas, 1880): like Geodia but with normal pores and oscules, evely distributed over the surface.
Pachymatisma Bowerbank, 1844 (type species P . areolata Bowerbank, 1844):
surface skeleton of sterrasters and microrhabds.
Species included:
Erylus discophorus
Geodia barretti
Geodia conchilega
Geodia cydonium
Geodia simplicissima
Isops phlegraei
Pachymatisma johnstonia
Species not treated here:
Caminus vulcani Schmidt (1862), Mediterranean, Canary islands, Madeira
Erylus euastrum (Schmidt, 1862), Straits of Gibraltar
Geodia atlantica (Stephens, 1914), Ireland, deep water
Geodia macandrewi Bowerbank (1872), Norway, deep water
Geodia megastrella Carter (1876), Portugal, deep water
Geodia nodastrella Carter (1876), Portugal, deep water
Isops intuta Topsent (1894 ), Straits of Gibraltar, deep water
Isops pachydermata (Sollas, 1888), Straits of Gibraltar, deep water