EURETIDAE ZITTEL, 1877

Dohrmann, Martin, Göcke, Christian, Janussen, Dorte, Reitner, Joachim, Lüter, Carsten & Wörheide, Gert, 2011, Systematics and spicule evolution in dictyonal sponges (Hexactinellida: Sceptrulophora) with description of two new species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 163 (4), pp. 1003-1025 : 1008

EURETIDAE ZITTEL, 1877

Revised diagnosis (emended from Reiswig & Wheeler, 2002, for inclusion of Sarostegia ; addition highlighted in bold): Body form either of branching and/or anastomosing tubes, or cup-funnel formed of a ring of tubes, or of a single tube, or of a single-wall funnel with or without lateral oscula extended on marginal tubes, or blade form; dictyonal meshes mainly rectangular or triangular or irregular; meshes usually equal-sided but elongate prismatic mesh series with transverse lamellae developed in some species; dictyonal strands, if developed, orientated longitudinally; with or without dictyonal cortices composed of primary or secondary dictyonalia; dermalia and atrialia are commonly pentactins or pinular hexactins with rays of approximately equal length, or both forms lacking; scopules, which might also be represented by sarules, and uncinates are usually present but are lacking in two genera; microscleres occur as oxyhexasters and/or discohexasters.

Remarks: Euretidae , being the most species-rich family of Hexactinosida ( Reiswig & Wheeler, 2002; Leys et al., 2007), is morphologically highly diverse and taxonomically poorly defined (see above); in lack of potential autapomorphies, its validity remains to be tested with molecular data.