Genus Characella Sollas, 1886 incertae sedis

Diagnosis: Astrophorida with a majority of amphiasters as streptasters (never spirasters) and with at least two clearly separated categories of monaxonic spicules: the longest (microxea, microstyles, microstongyloxeas) and the smallest category (microrhabds with oxea or strongyle ends) (Cárdenas et al. 2011).

Note on phylogenetic position: Molecular data suggests that Characella is phylogenetically close to Astrophorida lithistids and belongs to a large clade temporarely called ‘Clade A’ which includes the Geodiidae, Ancorinidae, Pachastrellidae, Corallistidae, Theonellidae and Phymaraphiniidae (Cárdenas et al. 2011) .