| Demospongiae |
Poecilosclerida |
Mycalidae |
Mycale laevis |
6 |
Bright orange yellow crumbly masses filling crevices or growing below laminar corals; oscules and skin tend to be transparent. Bahamas specimens have as megasclere spicules strongyles instead of styles-subtylostyles of other areas (data from Loh et al., 2010). |
(Carter, 1882) |
yellow,orange,orange-yellow,encrusting,crumbly,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Poecilosclerida |
Mycalidae |
Mycale laxissima |
11 |
Dark red, brown to purple or violet barrels-thick tubes, single or in groups, with a transparent collar lining the oscules/atria. Surface is spinuous owing to arising fibers. Its mucosy tissue falls off when handled, staining the fingers. It may also be encrusting or fill cavities in crevices. It may be confused with Clathria spinosa, but the latter is stiffer and has a much spinuous surface. The lack of the microsclere spicule complement in specimens from certain areas generated many synonyms (see World Porifera Database; van Soest et al., 2009). |
(Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) |
red,brown,purple-violet,orange,encrusting,tube,vase,massive,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae |
Poecilosclerida |
Mycalidae |
Mycale microsigmatosa |
7 |
Thick encrustations to repent branches with scattered membranous oscules. Surface smooth or with spined elevations (possibly made up by worm tubes or hydroid stalks). Skin transparent and thick; the orange to red color looks like curd beneath the dermis. Material from the Bahamas did not have microsclere spicules, but the identification was made from the skeletal arrangement, texture and color. Florida material only have part of the microsclere spicule complement, and variable among specimens. |
(Arndt, 1927) |
red,orange,orange-yellow,bushy,branching,encrusting,massive,soft,crumbly |
