Notes: Originally described under the genus Rhaphidophlus, as R. minutus. Thinly encrusting, orange encrustations, with a rather transparent but similarly colored skin that conform a vein pattern of the exhalant canal system that opens into oscules. Spicules are styles with slightly mucronated heads, subtylostyles in two categories, chelae and small toxa. Originally described as red. For Bahamian waters, Clathria sp.3 (also pictured here) and C. minuta have similar spiculation (but toxa of Clathria sp. 3 are characteristically smaller). For co-existing specimens, we have assigned to Clathria sp.3 those with a whitish transparent skin over a red tissue, and to C. minuta those with the skin of the same color of the internal tissue (orange in this case).

Author Reference: (van Soest, 1984)

Link: World Porifera Database