- Notes: Originally placed under genus Cribrochalina, and later under Amphimedon (see Lehnert & van Soest, 1996). Also named Cribrochalina spiculosa (Dendy, 1890) (see van Soest, 1980). Gray to purplish, irregular fans, firmy compresible but difficult to cut. Skeleton of a reticulation of spicule tracts embedded in spongin, ending at the surface in a paratangential reticulation with spicule brushes. Spicules hastate oxea with slightly telescopic ends, 125-240 x 3.7-6.3 µm. It has the same spicules and similar skeletal arrangement of Niphates digitalis (Lamarck, 1815) and Niphates amorpha Wiedenmayer, 1977. In fact, on can envision a gradation from encrusting forms (N. amorpha) to irregular fans (N. caribica). Also, there are thin, partly closed inverted-cone specimens of N. digitalis which may be easily confused with N. caribica open fans. Perhaps the characteristically spined rim of N. digitalis, vs. a smoother one of N. caribica help telling them apart. The most recently published report (Lehnert & van Soest, 1996) and the World Porifera Database place this species under Amphimedon, but our observations of freshly collected specimens cleary show them as Niphates.
- Author Reference: (Pulitzer-Finali, 1986)
| Color: |
| gray |
| pink-lilac |
| Morphology: |
| fan |
| vase |
| Consistency: |
| tough |
| Locations: |
| Bahamas - Great Inagua |
| Bahamas - Little Inagua |
| Bahamas - Little San Salvador |
| Leeward Islands - Martinique |
Images of Niphates caribica :