Print species info – Sponge Guide

Demospongiae > Dictyoceratida > Dysideidae > Pleraplysilla sp.

Observed Characteristics:

Color:

gray
yellow
green
pink-lilac
orange

Morphology:

encrusting

Consistency:

soft

Locations:

Bahamas
United States

Species Description and Notes

Notes: Thin, greenish to yellowish to orangy to pink soft crusts with characteristic raised oscular collars and exhalant canals. It becomes dark bue to purple upon exposure to air and in spirit. As as skeleton it appears to have only vertical, short, undivided fibers loaded with debris, ending in the sparse conules. However, it seems very similar to as yet unnamed genus and species of the family Ianthellidae of the order Verongida that Díaz et al. (2013) described from Panama, which does not have fibers. Detailed analysis of our material and comparison to the new Ianthellidae still needs to be carried out.