Family Geodiidae Gray, 1867

Abstract

Geodiidae Gray (Demospongiae, Astrophorida) includes astrophorid sponges with sterrasters as the main cortical microsclere and various forms of triaenes among the megascleres. Other microscleres present are euasters and microrhabds. Sponges are generally massive or thickly encrusting and often develop into globular forms. The inhalant or exhalant orifices (or both) may be organized in a sieve. The skeletal arrangement is radiate at the periphery and confused in the inner region of the skeleton. These sponges are usually cream, gray or white in color inside, and gray, brown to black outside, often dependant on their exposure to light. They inhabit bathyal, soft bottoms and, less often, are found in caves and overhangs of the sublittoral zone. The family contains twelve nominal genera of which six are valid: Erylus, Caminus, Pachymatisma, Geodia, Isops, and Sidonops, with species distributed worldwide.