Axinellidae
| Axinellidae | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Axinella polypoides | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Halichondrida |
| Family: | Axinellidae Carter, 1875 |
| Genera | |
|
Auletta | |
Axinellidae is a family of sponges in the order Halichondrida. This sponge is a member of a photo-synthetic sponges that occur through out the worlds coral reefs. It is one of the more common sponges seen in the aquarium trade but it is usually not a successful species and is not one the thrives in the small household tank environment. It is common throughout the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Oceans coral reef. It is usually found above 30 m of water. Because it derives its nutrition from sunlight it must stay fairly close to the surface in order for its zoxanthelle bacteria to synthesize light into the sugars this sponge uses to survive.