Print species info – Sponge Guide

Demospongiae > Verongiida > Aplysinidae > Verongula rigida

Observed Characteristics:

Color:

yellow
green

Morphology:

branching
massive
tube

Consistency:

soft

Locations:

Bahamas

Species Description and Notes

Notes: Groups of low oscular mounds-tubes, placed side by side and irregularly arranged,orften forming repent branches. In wave-exposed sites the species looks as repent thick branches with oscules aligned on top. Color light to dark green in the outside, lemon yellow in the inside, turning purple in air. Skeleton is a pithed spongin fiber network forming the walls of a honeycomb, which show on the surface. There is a morphotype of groups of heavily fouled low tubes that may constitute a different, undescribed species (M. Cristina Díaz, pers. comm.), also included here, which we are calling Verongula sp.-“fouled”.

Author Reference: (Esper, 1794)

Link: World Porifera Database