| Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Thorectidae |
Hyrtios cavernosus |
11 |
Correspondos to what Wiedenmayer (1977) called Hyrtios cavernosus, but it is not the original Hyatella cavernosa (Pallas, 1766, as Spongia), which is a different, valid species with the typical skeleton of a commercial sponge [also known as Hyatella intestinalis (Lamarck, 1814) by some Caribbean authors]. Massive to rounded, sometimes encrusting, with oscules elevated by a conical smooth membrane. Surface usually conulose, with smooth areas or skin over subdermal spaces, sometimes with fields of pores. Dark-gray exterior, cream interior. It is spongy, usually easy to tear. It smells slightly like sponge of the genus Ircinia (garlic and sulfur), but does not have spongin fibrills. Fasciculated and striated spongin fibers. Primaries with debris, often fasciculated; secondary inteconecting usually clean; fibers not have as much debris as H. proteus Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864, which is jet black in the field in other areas of the Caribbean. It may need a new name, or a thorough search for one in the older literature and collections. |
sensu Wiedenmayer (1977) |
gray,black,massive,encrusting,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Thorectidae |
Hyrtios proteus |
3 |
Black mass with volcano-shaped oscular mounds; surface with a honeycomb pattern of fiber endings. Interior cream. Consistency relatively soft, as it can be easily cut with a knife. This is a tentative designation, pending revision of more material. In other areas of the Caribbean H. proteus tends to be thickly encrusting to massive with oscules aligned and does not tend to form volcano-like elevations. It concurs in having a dermis and thick primary spongin fibers filled with sand grains. Secondary interconnecting fibers are not too evident and apparently far apart. |
Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864 |
black,gray,tube,massive,soft |
| Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Thorectidae |
Hyrtios sp.-gray amphora |
4 |
Gray, amphora-like sponges arising from cave ledges and bending towards the outside. Oscular rim narrow, smooth; surface often fouled, with a low-profile honeycomb pattern. Consistency compressible, but not too elastic, somewhat difficult to tear. Skeleton of ascending and interconnecting spongin fibers filled with sand grains and foreign material; surface with a network of sand grains, leaving only pore spaces. Should be compared to Hyrtios tubulatus Lehnert & van Soest, 1998, for which there only exists dry material. It could also be a growth form (cave?) of Hyrtios cavernosus sensu Wiedenmayer, 1977 (also pictured in this guide), as it shares with it the gray color and the skeletal architecture. There are small-juvenile? Stages similar to this one in Ircinia strobilina (see photos therein). |
|
gray,green,cream,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Thorectidae |
Hyrtios violaceus |
7 |
Also known as Oligoceras hemorraghes de Laubenfels, 1936. Sprawling, irregular, soft masses of interconnected repent fingers or blunt ridges with slightly elevated oscules located on top. Color brownish to purplish. Exudates purple ink but only sometime after collection. |
(Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) |
black,brown,purple-violet,massive,encrusting,tube,lobate,soft |
