Sponge Guide

UNCW National Science Foundation Valdosta State University Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Observed Characteristics:

Color:

  • brown
  • pink-lilac
  • cream
  • cinnamon-tan

Morphology:

  • vase

Consistency:

  • crumbly
  • hard

Sample Locations:

  • Bahamas
  • Martinique
  • Saint Eustatius

Xestospongia muta

Notes: Large barrels, golden to reddish brown. Surface sometimes even, but usually with numerous irregular, finger-shaped, pyramidal or lamellated projections. Top usually thin-walled, usually also with projections. Interior of atria rough, as a bubble-like pattern. Zea (1987) synonymized X. rampa (de Laubenfels, 1934) with this species, but more recently Rützler et al. (2014) described it as a good, separate species.

Author Reference: (Schmidt, 1870)

 

Link: World Porifera Database