Suborder (Animalia): Mycalina

Definition: Poecilosclerida with only a single megasclere type and without acanthostyles; characterized by mycalostyles, i.e. stylote megascleres with faintly constricted necks; microscleres may include palmate chelae (anisochelae), sigmas, toxas, trichodragmas and unique derivatives of the sigmancistra.

Remarks: Most Mycalina have simple plumose skeleton, consisting a one type of megascleres arranged in bundles fanning out towards the surface; a few representatives have reticulate skeletons. Ectosomal specialization in the form of tangential megascleres is common. Sigmancistras occur predominantly in Hamacanthidae, but some Mycalidae have their sigmas with partly similar shape pointing towards homology. Nine families are recognized: Mycalidae, Hamacanthidae, Desmacellidae, Cladorhizidae, Guitarridae, Esperiopsidae, Merliidae, Podospongiidae and Isodictyidae. Two families, Podospongiidae and Merliidae are not represented in the area.

Reference: species-identification.org