Haplosclerida Topsent (Demospongiae) is characterized by possession of an isodictyal skeleton of diactinal megascleres. The megascleres are relatively short fusiform oxeas, or short compact strongyles. Microscleres are restricted to microxeas/strongyles, sigmas, toxas, raphides and amphidiscs. The sigmas and toxas may be interpreted as a trait shared with the order Poecilosclerida. A large number of common shal- low-water marine sponges and all sponges occurring in freshwater are considered members of this order. To accommodate the high diver- sity of groups and habitats, and in acknowledgement of the continuing debate about monophyly of the order, three suborders are now recognized: Haplosclerina with families: Callyspongiidae, Chalinidae and Niphatidae; Petrosina with families Calcifibrospongiidae Petrosiidae and Phloeodictyidae; and Spongillina with families Spongillidae, Malawispongiidae, Metaniidae, Metschnikowiidae, Palaeospongillidae, Potamolepiidae and Lubomirskiidae. Haplosclerina and Petrosina appear closely related morphologically and are con- troversial higher taxa. They may be conveniently separated by the absence of a clear anisotropic skeletal structure and the apparent oviparous reproduction in Petrosina. Spongillina appear more distantly related and are characterized by absence of a tangential ectosomal skeleton, possession of spined megascleres and unique amphidisc microscleres, and gemmules with an elaborate anatomy and physiology.
CITATION STYLE
Van Soest, R. W. M., & Hooper, J. N. A. (2002). Order Haplosclerida Topsent, 1928. In Systema Porifera (pp. 831–832). Springer US. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-0747-5_88
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