Star encrusting sponge

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Halisarca caerulea

Vacelet & Donadey, 1987

Code

166037

Auteurs

Summary

This thin, encrusting sponge is distinguished by several canals that radiate in a star shaped pattern from small groups of pitted excurrent openings. These "stars" are well separated. Unlike several similar appearing sponges, the canals are occasionally branched, and do not intertwine or interconnect.

To be confused with

- Orange veined encrusting sponge Rhaphidophlus venosus

Characteristics

Size: Up to 25 cm in diameter.
Colour: Variable, red, blue or gray
Shape: Encrusting with star patterns of oscules and confluent exhalant canals..
Consistency: Tough.

Habitat environment and ecology

Reefs from 7 to 30 meters.

Distribution range

BES-eilanden: Bonaire, St. Eustatius.

Author

[Niels Schrieken, May 2015]; [Floris Bennema, april 2016]

Literature

- Humann, P., & DeLoach, N. (2002). Reef Creature Identification: Florida, Caribbean, Bahamas (p. 420). Jacksonville (FL): New World Publications.
- Interactive Guide to Caribbean Diving. M. De Kluijver, G. Gijswijt, R. de Leon & I. da Cunda. - The Sponge Guide.S. Zea, Henkel, T.P., and Pawlik, J.R. 2014.
- Thacker, R. W., Díaz, M. C., De Voogd, N. J., Van Soest, R. W., Freeman, C. J., Mobley, A. S., ... & McKenna, S. (2010). Preliminary assessment of sponge biodiversity on Saba Bank, Netherlands Antilles. PloS one, 5(5), e9622.
- Sponges Saba Bank