Observed Characteristics:
Color:
- brown
Morphology:
- branching
- encrusting
Consistency:
- hard
Locations:
- Bahamas
Species Description and Notes
Notes: Dark greenish brown, hard and thick encrustation with sprawling branching extensions. Originally described under genus Strongylophora, which now is considered a subgenus of Petrosia. Hence, the full name is Petrosia (Strongylophora) davilai. The megasclere spicules are small to large strongyles, and microscleres are microxea. There are also thin raphide like spicules which may be developmental stages of strongyles. It can be confused in the field with Petrosia weinbergi van Soest, 1980, also pictured here which forms green to cream hard but more crumbly encrustations.
Author Reference: (Alcolado, 1979)
Link: World Porifera Database
Tissue and Spicule Images
Images
(Strongylophora) davilai
- Location: Sweetings Cay, Bahamas
- Photographer: Sven Zea