 They are often abundant in shallow waters, where they are typically less than long, but in deeper parts of the lake, the largest, "Baikaloplana valida", can reach up to when outstretched.At least 18 species of sponges occur in the lake, including 14 species from the endemic family Lubomirskiidae (the remaining are from the nonendemic family Spongillidae).In the nearshore regions of Baikal, the largest benthic biomass is sponges.