| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aiolochroia crassa |
23 |
Previously placed under genus Pseudoceratina. Multicolor and multishape sponge, probably meaning there may be several species. The most usual morphotypes consist of a basal mass (could be ridged) with oscular lobes or long tubes, with bluish, purplish or pinkish tones; the surface is knobbed, often in a regular pattern. There is a distinct spherical yellow morphotype with collared oscules flush to the surface, which here is described as a separate form. |
(Hyatt, 1875) |
yellow,orange,blue,purple-violet,cinnamon-tan,gray,massive,tube,vase,fan,spherical,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aiolochroia crassa yellow spherical morphotype |
4 |
Yellow spherical masses with scattered collared non-elevated oscules and low nodules (tops of ascending skeletal fibers). Sometimes there are large apical atria, conforming a vase. It status as a separate species needs to be evaluated. |
(Hyatt, 1875) |
yellow,vase,spherical,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina archeri |
20 |
Long tubes, single or in groups, usually having an iridiscent lavender color, but co-occurring specimens may be brownish or greenish tan. |
(Higgin, 1875) |
green,brown,pink-lilac,purple-violet,gray,cinnamon-tan,branching,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina bathyphila |
9 |
Tan to cream stalked, solid cups. This is the only stalked aplysinid in The Caribbean. It inhabits the deep reef slopes. Pale specimens in caves and crevices. Variation in consistency and color may imply the existence of more than one species. |
Maldonado & Young, 1998 |
yellow,brown,cream,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina cauliformis-brown erect morphotype |
13 |
There are two clearly separable species, both ramose, within the name Aplysina cauliformis. This morphotype is erect, thick, brownish (sometimes greenish), in contrast to the thinner, lilac, usually creeping one. A valid name should be searched for in the old literature and collections. |
(Carter, 1882) |
gray,brown,pink-lilac,cream,cinnamon-tan,purple-violet,green,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina cauliformis-lilac creeping morphotype |
14 |
There are two clearly separable species, both ramose, within the name Aplysina cauliformis. This morphotype is lilac, thin, creeping, in contrast to the more cinnamon/brownish/cream/greenish, generally thicker, erect form. A valid name for this form should be searched for in the old literature and collections. |
(Carter, 1882) |
pink-lilac,cinnamon-tan,branching,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina fistularis |
20 |
Yellow tubes, smooth or with little branchelets. In The Bahamas it is difficult to decide when a small specimen with branchelets is A. fistularis or A. insularis (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864). Aggregated tubes were called forma aggregata by Wiedenmayer (1977). |
(Pallas, 1766) |
yellow,tube,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina fulva |
20 |
Mustard yellow groups of branches with scattered oscules flush to the surface or sometimes over mounds, especially at the base. In the latter case there may be a gradation of form from low tubes with branchelets in A. insularis (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) to low oscular mounds with branches in A. fulva. In some areas in the Bahamas the species tends to be greenish yellow, contrasting with co-existing typical mustard yellow branches of this species and tubes of Aplysina fistularis (Pallas, 1766) and A. insularis tubes with outgrowing branchelets. This makes us wonder if the greenish morph (pictured here) belongs to a different species or if these combinations of mustard yellow tubes and branches are hybrids. |
(Pallas, 1766) |
yellow,green,branching,tube,spherical,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina insularis |
13 |
Lower and usually smaller tubes than in Aplysina fistularis (Pallas, 1766); usually crowned with branchelets. It prefers shallow reefs and lagoon and tidal channels environments, but can also be seen in reefs. In the Bahamas it may be an ecophenotypic form of A. fistularis, but it appears to be a valid species elsewhere in the Caribbean and in Brazil. |
(Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864) |
yellow,orange,branching,tube,massive,bushy,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina lacunosa |
8 |
Creamy yellow to brownish vases or tubes, riddled with roundish holes; usually hard. Not to be confused with Suberea sp., which has mistakenly been included within this species in the past. |
(Lamarck, 1814) |
red,yellow,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,spherical,lobate,hard,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Aplysina sp.-long branchelets |
11 |
Central branch or low tube with branchelets. Cinnamon-tan with golden-brown or purple tinges. Sponge may be heavily fouled by algae. The surface of the central branch or tube has concave shallow depressions; oscules on upper portions. A yellow specimen comprising only a branch was found clinging to a cave wall. It was compared to adjacent A. cauliformis brown-erect and A. cauliformis-lilac creeping morphs and colors differ. The finding of several specimens with the same morphology may indicate it is a different species on its own, but it may be a crevice or juvenile stage of A. fulva, or of A. caulilformis-brown erect morphotype, or of A. lacunosa. |
|
cinnamon-tan,orange-yellow,brown,yellow,branching,tube,lobate,tough |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Verongula gigantea |
11 |
Inverted cones with relatively thin walls, greenish to purplish in the outside, bright yellow inside, turn purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. A sister species is V. reiswigi Alcolado, 1984 (also pictured in this catalogue), whose shape is that of a thick-walled barrel or amphora. |
(Hyatt, 1875) |
yellow,brown,cinnamon-tan,green,pink-lilac,orange,vase,fan,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Verongula reiswigi |
14 |
Thick-walled barrels-jugs, single or in groups. Greenish to purplish in the outside, bright yellow inside, turn purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. A sister species is V. gigantea (Hyatt, 1875) (also pictured in this catalogue), whose shape is that of a thin-walled inverted cone. |
Alcolado, 1984 |
yellow,green,brown,purple-violet,cinnamon-tan,tube,vase,lobate,tough,soft |
| Demospongiae |
Verongida |
Aplysinidae |
Verongula rigida |
8 |
Groups of low oscular mounds-tubes, placed side by side and irregularly arranged,orften forming repent branches. In wave-exposed sites the species looks as repent thick branches with oscules aligned on top. Color light to dark green in the outside, lemon yellow in the inside, turns purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. |
(Esper, 1794) |
yellow,green,branching,encrusting,tube,massive,soft |
