Axinellidae is a family of

sponge Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal animal clade as a sister of the diploblasts. They are multicellular organisms that have bodies full of pores and channels allowing water to circulate through t ...

s in the order

Axinellida Axinellida is an order of demosponges in the subclass Heteroscleromorpha Heteroscleromorpha is a subclass of demosponges within the phylum Porifera Sponges, the members of the phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), are a basal ani ...

. This family includes some photo-synthetic sponges that occur throughout the world's coral reefs. They are amongst the more common sponges seen in the aquarium trade but are usually not successful species in captivity and not ones that thrive in the small household tank environment. They are common throughout the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean coral reefs. Species which derive their nutrition from sunlight must stay fairly close to the surface in order for their zooxanthellae to synthesize light into the sugars these sponges use to survive.

Genera

There are ten genera: * ''

Axinella ''Axinella'' is a genus of sponges in the family Axinellidae first described in 1862 by Eduard Oscar Schmidt Eduard Oscar Schmidt (21 February 1823, in Torgau – 17 January 1886, in Kappelrodeck) was a German zoologist and phycologist. B ...

'' Schmidt, 1862 * ''

Cymbastela ''Cymbastela'' is a genus of sponges in the family Axinellidae Axinellidae is a family of sponges in the order Axinellida. This family includes some photo-synthetic sponges that occur throughout the world's coral reefs. They are amongst the m ...

'' Hooper & Bergquist, 1992 * ''

Dragmacidon ''Dragmacidon'' is a genus of sponges in the family Axinellidae, first described in 1917 by E.F.Hallman . List of species *'' Dragmacidon agariciforme'' (Dendy, 1905) *'' Dragmacidon alvarezae'' Zea & Pulido, 2016 *'' Dragmacidon australe'' (B ...

'' Hallmann, 1917 * '' Dragmaxia'' Hallmann, 1916 * '' Ophiraphidites'' Carter, 1876 * '' Pararhaphoxya'' Burton, 1934 * '' Phycopsis'' Carter, 1883 * ''

Pipestela ''Pipestela'' is a genus of sponges belonging to the family Axinellidae. The species of this genus are found in Australian waters, New Guinea and other countries to the north of Australia. The genus was first described in 2008. Species This ...

'' Alvarez, Hooper & van Soest, 2008 * ''

Ptilocaulis ''Ptilocaulis'' is a genus of demosponges.van Soest, R. (2007)Ptilocaulis Carter, 1883.In: Van Soest, R.W.M; Boury-Esnault, N.; Hooper, J.N.A.; Rützler, K.; de Voogd, N.J.; Alvarez de Glasby, B.; Hajdu, E.; Pisera, A.B.; Manconi, R.; Schoenber ...

'' Carter, 1883 * '' Reniochalina'' Lendenfeld, 1888

References

Heteroscleromorpha Sponge families Taxa named by Henry John Carter {{demosponge-stub