Microcionina with terminally spined ectosomal styles, rarely modified to quasidiactinal or diactinal forms; three skeletal regions defined by the presence of different forms of structural styles:(1) choanosomal (axial) skeleton (with spongin fibres enveloping principal styles echinated by acanthose or smooth styles; in two groups this is replaced by a basal or axial renieroid skeleton of smooth or acanthose styles or strongyles, with or without echinating spicules); (2) subectosomal (extra-axial or extra-fibre)skeleton (with individual or tracts of auxiliary styles ascending to the surface); and (3) ectosomal skeleton (with smaller auxiliary styles forming a surface crust tangential, paratangential or perpendicular to the surface). One or more skeletal regions may be lost or modified. Megascleres predominantly smooth styles but may be modified and/or supplemented by quasidiactinal or diactinal forms, or lost completely and replaced with detritus. Microscleres include palmate isochelae and diverse forms of toxas.