Family Macandrewiidae Schrammen, 1924

Abstract

Macandrewiidae Schrammen (Demospongiae, ‘lithistids’) contains only one valid genus Macandrewia Gray, 1859, with about 6 species known from the Atlantic and Pacific. They are polymorphic, cup shaped, branching or massive irregular, and occur in relatively deep water as do most lithistids. The differentiating characters of the family are ectosomal dentate phyllo- to discotriaenes and smooth desmas of complex morphology resembling tetraclones which have triaenose (rarely monaxial) crepis; microscleres are smooth microxeas.