- Notes: 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.
- Author Reference: Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864
- Link: World Porifera Database
| Color: |
| black |
| gray |
| Morphology: |
| massive |
| tube |
| Consistency: |
| soft |
| Locations: |
| Bahamas - Little San Salvador |
| Bahamas - Northern Exuma Cays |
Images of Hyrtios proteus :