Crellidae is a family of marine demosponges in the order Poecilosclerida.[1]
| Crellidae | |
|---|---|
,_parque_nacional_Ras_Muhammad,_Egipto,_2022-03-26,_DD,_DD_08.jpg) | |
| Crella cyathophora with Hemimycale arabica in the Red Sea | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Poecilosclerida |
| Family: | Crellidae Hentschel, 1923 |
| Genera | |
see text | |
Characteristics
Growth forms are varied and include branching, club-shaped, massive and encrusting. Identification of members of this family is based on microscopic examination of the spicules in their skeleton. The choanosomal skeleton is composed of tornotes while the ectosomal skeleton consists of a tangential crust of spined styles or oxeas. The microscleres are mostly arcuate isochelae.[2][3]