dictyospongidæ

from The Century Dictionary.

• A family of silicious hexactinellid sponges, comprising genera of obconical form and growing as simple individuals, in which the reticulum is principally composed of vertical and horizontal strands and the exterior is variously ornamented with nodes, tufts, and fringes. The family is closely allied to the living Euplectella, but is regarded as wholly of Paleozoic age.