Six families are currently recognized, of which three Metaniidae, Potamolepidae, and
Spongillidae occur in the United Slates.
Two freshwater sponge taxa (Porifera:
Spongillidae) were identified by anatomical features of gemmoscleres and rotules.
Fossil freshwater sponges (Porifera:
Spongillidae) from Western Canada: an overlooked group of quaternary paleoecological indicators.
At least six genera of freshwater sponges inhabit the western gulf slope drainages (Old, 1936; Sublette, 1957; Poirrier, 1972; Davis, 1980a, 1980b; Manconi and Pronzato, 2005), but only Davis (1980a, 1980b) documents occurrence of Class Demospongiae:
Spongillidae in streams west of the Gulf Coastal Plain ecoregion of Texas.
Distribucion geografica de las esponjas argentinas (Porifera:
Spongillidae, Potamolepidae y Metaniidae).
Larvae of Sisyridae are associated with colonies of freshwater sponges (Porifera: Haplosclerida:
Spongillidae) where they live and obtain their food.
Spongillidae is the only identified family of sponges found in North American fresh waters.
Five species of sponges, belonging to five genera and two families (Table II) were detected occupying distinct substrates on the Brazilian bank of the Itaipu Lake: Trochospongilla repens (Hinde, 1888; Figure 14), Corvospongilla seckti Bonetto & Ezcurra de Drago, 1966 (Figures 9-11, 15) and Radiospongilla amazonensis Volkmer-Ribeiro & Maciel, 1983 (Figure 16), the three belonging to the
Spongillidae Gray, 1867 family, Oncosclera navicella (Carter, 1881; Figure 13), and Potamophloios guairensis n.
The distribution and taxonomy of freshwater sponges (Porifera:
Spongillidae) in North America has not received widespread attention, although some notable works exist for the entire United States (Penney & Racek 1968), and regions surrounding the Great Lakes (Potts 1887; Smith 1921; Old 1931; Jewell 1935; Neidhoefer 1940; Eshleman 1950; Ricciardi & Reiswig 1993).
Most studied species are associated with
Spongillidae or usually collected as free-swimming individuals.
The Sisyridae are one of two families of neuropterans whose larvae are fully aquatic (Winterton el al, 2010) and lai-vae rely on freshwater sponges Porifera:
Spongillidae) for survival (Brown, 1952).