Sponge Guide

UNCW National Science Foundation Valdosta State University Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Observed Characteristics:

Color:

  • yellow
  • brown
  • pink-lilac
  • purple-violet
  • cream
  • cinnamon-tan

Morphology:

  • branching
  • encrusting
  • fan
  • lobate
  • massive
  • spherical
  • tube

Consistency:

  • crumbly
  • hard
  • tough

Sample Locations:

  • Bahamas

Topsentia ophiraphidites

Notes: Stiff to hard, globular to massive-amorphous with velvety-hispid surface, often partly buried in sediments or filling crevices in hard substrata, and with projecting elevations, pointed or lobed, sometimes with branchelets. Color from light brown-cinnanon to yellowish. Deep or cave specimens whitish. Reglardless of shape and color, we have placed under this species all stiff specimens with several categories of stout oxea, some of them bent twice, often erect as a palisade in the surface. Perhaps there is more than one species involved, but this needs further studies. For synonymies and related species see Álvarez et al. (1993).

Author Reference: (de Laubenfels, 1934)

 

Link: World Porifera Database