- Notes: Placed also under genera Aulospongus, Microciona, Rhaphidophlus and Thalysias. Also known as Clathria raraechelae (van Soest, 1984). Thin encrustations to tangled branches with transparent skin and red and yellow interior (often speckled). Exhalant canals in a star pattern centering in the oscules are evident. Could be confused with Clathria venosa (Alcolado, 1984)(=Microciona microchela Hechtel, 1965), but the latter has a white pinkish skin with deep orange interior and the star pattern of canals is much larger. They have also differences in spiculation, the most important being that styles have a smooth head in C. schoenus and a rugose one in C. venosa. The identification is tentative for the Bahamas material because spicule development there is low and not all spicules are present. Southern Caribbean populations have stouter spicules and there is a small category of chelae (=microchela).
- Author Reference: (de Laubenfels, 1936)
- Link: World Porifera Database
| Color: |
| brown |
| cinnamon-tan |
| cream |
| orange |
| orange-yellow |
| red |
| white |
| yellow |
| Morphology: |
| branching |
| encrusting |
| Consistency: |
| soft |
| Locations: |
| Bahamas - Sweetings Cay |
| Netherland Antilles - Bonaire |
Images of Clathria (Thalysias) ?schoenus :