Observed Characteristics:
Color:
- red
- white
- yellow
- brown
- orange
- cream
- cinnamon-tan
- orange-yellow
Morphology:
- branching
- encrusting
Consistency:
- soft
- tough
Locations:
- Bahamas
- Netherland Antilles
Species Description and Notes
Notes: Placed also under genera Aulospongus<(/i>, Microciona, Rhaphidophlus and Thalysias. Also known as Clathria schoenus (de Laubenfels, 1936) and Clathria raraechelae (van Soest, 1984). Thin encrustations to tangled branches with a transparent skin and red and yellow interior (often speckled). Exhalant canals in a star pattern centering in the oscules are evident. Southern Caribbean populations have stouter spicules and there is a small category of chelae (=microchela) absent in Bahamian material.
Author Reference: Arndt, 1927
Link: World Porifera Database
Tissue and Spicule Images
Images
(Thalysias) curacaoensis
- Location: Bahamas, Sweetings Cay
- Photographer: Tadeusz Molinski
- Location: Bahamas, Sweetings Cay
- Photographer: Tadeusz Molinski
- Location: Bahamas, Sweetings Cay
- Photographer: Micha Ilan
- Location: Bahamas, Sweetings Cay
- Photographer: Micha Ilan
- Location: Bahamas, Sweetings Cay
- Photographer: Micha Ilan
- Location: Netherland Antilles, Bonaire
- Photographer: Joseph Pawlik