Parent taxon: Porifera according to R. M. Finks et al. 2004
See also Rigby and Keyes 1998, Sepkoski 2002 and Skovsted 2006
Sister taxa: Amorphofungia, Archaeocyatha, Archaeocyathidae, Calcarea, Caliculospongia, Clathrispongia, Codites, Coronacollina, Cotyliscus, Cribroscyphia, Cuneiphycus, Cupulochonia, Cyathophyscus, Cyclospongia, Demospongea, Dendrocoelia, Disjectoporidae, Drosdovia, Eocoryne, Eocyathispongia, Glenodictyum, Hexactinellida, Holocoelia, Homoscleromorpha, Leiofungia, Limnorea, Limnoretheles, Matthewcyathus, Megalelasma, Microcoryne, Mussooriella, Nabaviella, Namapoikia, Nostrocyathus, Oligoplagia, Palaeoierea, Phymoraphinia, Polyactinellidae, Psephidia, Sclerospongiae, Scyphia, Shitangspongia, Sinoflabrum, Solactiniella, Sparsispongia, Spirocyathidae, Stromatofungia, Stromatoporoidea, Thectardis, Tragos, Trammeria
Subtaxa: Asteractinella Astraeoconus Conwaymorrisispongia Corynospongia Hetairacyathida Heterostella Hyalostelia Leptopoterion Octactinellida Taraxaculum Tholiasterella Toquimiella Uranosphaera
Ecology: stationary intermediate-level epifaunal suspension feeder