Gray, 1867
Definition: Order Haplosclerida. The group includes encrusting to massive sponges either with amorphous, tubular or ramose shapes. The choanosomal skeleton consists of an isodictyal delicate reticulation of uni-, pauci-, or rarely multispicular primary lines, and unispicular secondary lines. Spongin is present either scarcely, uniting spicules at their ends, or forming well developed spongin fibres that enclose the spicules. Megascleres always oxeas that vary little in size (usually < 200 µm); microscleres (sigmas and/or toxas) may be present.
Remarks: The species of this family flourish in protected environments as undersides of rocks and crevices, both in intertidal and subtidal habitats. The current valid genera are uncertain, since recent revisions (De Weerdt, 1987) resulted in the assignment of a large number of junior synonyms to the genus Haliclona .
(Acervochalina loosanoffi skel) (Haliclona manglaris) (Haliclona tubifera) (Haliclona tubifera spicules) (Haliclona simulans skeleton).
Source: De Weerdt, 1986.
Genera represented in the area:
Acervochalina Ridley, 1884 (type species Spongia limbata Montagu, 1818) (syn. ?Chalinula Schmidt, 1868): distance between primary tracts at the surface two spicule lengths; spongin well-developed, generally thin oxeas.
Haliclona Grant, 1835 (type species Spongia oculata Pallas, 1766): distance between primary tracts at the surface a single spicule length; spongin poorly developed, normally only binding; generally relatively thick oxeas.
Remarks: De Weerdt (1987) recognized about a dozen "species groups" in this genus, which may eventually be raised to generic status.
Cladocroce Topsent, 1892 (type species C . fibrosa Topsent, 1892): Fan-shaped with strong spicule tracts in addition to a Haliclona -type reticulation.
Rhizoniera Griessinger, 1971 (type species Reniera rhizophora Vacelet, 1969): Stalked tubes with root-like holdfast in addition to a Haliclona -type reticulation.
Species included:
Acervochalina fertilis
Acervochalina limbata
Acervochalina loosanoffi
Haliclona angulata
Haliclona cinerea
Haliclona fibulata
Haliclona fistulosa
Haliclona indistincta
Haliclona oculata
Haliclona rava
Haliclona rosea
Haliclona simulans
Haliclona urceolus
Haliclona viscosa
Haliclona xena
Species not treated here:
Acervochalina nigra Boury-Esnault and Lopes (1985), Azores, Straits of Gibraltar
Cladocroce fibrosa Topsent (1892), North Atlantic deep water
Cladocroce spathiformis Topsent (1904), North Atlantic, deep water
Haliclona neens (Topsent, 1918), Straits of Gibraltar, Azores, West Africa,
Haliclona valliculata (Griessinger, 1971), Straits of Gibraltar
Haliclona ventilabrum (Fristedt, 1887), deep water, Iceland
Rhizoniera pedunculata Boury-Esnault et al. (1994), Straits of Gibraltar, deep water