Observed Characteristics:
Color:
- yellow
Morphology:
- encrusting
- massive
Consistency:
- tough
Locations:
- Bahamas
- Colombia
Species Description and Notes
Notes: Bright lemon yellow encrustations or cavity-filling masses living in crevices and under corals, with the tissue peculiarly stretched from wall to floor or wall to wall. It turns dark purple-brown when exposed to air. Originally placed under genus Pachataxa (P. lutea) of family Calthropellidae (see van Soest et al., 2010). Material from the Bahamas only has a few of the calthrop megasclere spicules characteristic of the species, and quite deformed and of much smaller size than those from the type locality (Jamaica) and from Colombia.
Author Reference: (Pulitzer-Finali, 1986)
Link: World Porifera Database
Tissue and Spicule Images
Images
(Halinastra) luteus
- Location: San Salvador, Bahamas
- Photographer: Micha Ilan
- Location: Santa Marta, Colombia
- Photographer: Sven Zea
- Location: Santa Marta, Colombia
- Photographer: Sven Zea
- Location: Santa Marta, Colombia
- Photographer: Sven Zea