Sponge Guide

UNCW National Science Foundation Valdosta State University Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Observed Characteristics:

Color:

  • blue
  • gray
  • pink-lilac

Morphology:

  • branching
  • bushy
  • lobate
  • massive
  • tube

Consistency:

  • soft
  • tough

Sample Locations:

  • Bahamas

Callyspongia ?eschrichti

Notes: Lobate with scattered oscules, conules and contorted skin fibers. Light gray. It remains to be determined if this is C. eschriti or one of the Callyspongia or Tuba species described originally by Duchassaing and Michellotti and now synonymized under C. vaginalis (Lamarck, 1814). It is certainly different to C. vaginalis, with which it coexists; but it does not exactly match the thorny appearance of C. eschriti depicted in the literature. Pedro Alcolado (Cuba, pers. comm.) names this sponge Callyspongia vaginalis forma solida, but it has not yet been formally described.

Author Reference: Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864

 

Link: World Porifera Database