Hooper, J.N.A. (2002). Family Raspailiidae Hentschel, 1923. pp. 469-510. In Hooper, J.N.A. & Van Soest, R.W.M. (eds.) Systema Porifera. Guide to the classification of sponges. Vol. 1. (Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow).
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Hooper, J.N.A.
2002
Family Raspailiidae Hentschel, 1923. pp. 469-510. <i>In</i> Hooper, J.N.A. & Van Soest, R.W.M. (eds.) Systema Porifera. Guide to the classification of sponges. Vol. 1. (Kluwer Academic/ Plenum Publishers: New York, Boston, Dordrecht, London, Moscow)
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Raspailiidae Hentschel (Demospongiae, Poecilosclerida), including Euryponidae Topsent, contains 60 nominal genera of which 19 are valid (one incertae sedis), with 7 subgenera, and approximately 270 named species worldwide, mainly from shallow waters and a few from abyssal depths. Species have a typically hispid surface, with genera differentiated mainly on the basis of three morphological characters: skeletal architecture ranging from axial compression to reticulate, plumo-reticulate or plumose skeletons; the presence or absence of a specialized ectosomal skeleton (apomorphic for the family, whereby small ectosomal megascleres form bouquets surrounding the longer choanosomal or subectosomal megascleres that penetrate the surface); and geometric modifications to echinating megascleres (with about 15 distinct morphologies recognised). Five new subfamilies are established, based on geometry of echinating megascleres and skeletal structure.
