Branching tube sponge
Aiolochroia crassa
(Hyatt, 1875)

Description:
Chiefly massive, frequently lobate to rarely ramose. Ramose outcrops up to 15 cm long, lobes up to 6 cm high. Total size up to 17 cm in diameter in massive specimens. Surface irregularly conulose, with large smooth areas showing fields of pores (A. crassa-close up). Interconnecting ridges between the conules may enclose polygonal depressions. Conules acute or low and blunt, 2-4 mm high, 2-7 mm apart, but quite irregularly distributed. Oscules 2-4 mm in diameter, on lobal outcrops (A. crassa-oscula). Typically, at various places large thick fibers stick out beyond the dermis. The consistency is rubbery, cheese-like and somewhat compressible.

Color:
Normally yellow with blue or green spots, but total bluish specimens can be found.

Habitat:
This species is known almost exclusively from reef localities.

Distribution:
Abundant Caribbean; common Bahamas and occasional South Florida.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Porifera
Genus Aiolochroia
Species Aiolochroia crassa

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Aiolochroia crassa (Hyatt, 1875)

Scientific synonyms and common names

Branching tube sponge [English]
Gele vertakte buisspons [Dutch]
Éponge tubulaire ramifiée jaune [French]
Gelber Verzweigter Röhrenschwamm [German]
Pseudoceratina crassa

Humann, P., 1992. Reef Creature Identification - Florida Caribbean Bahamas, (ed. N. Deloach). New World Publications, Inc., Paramount Miller Graphics, Inc., Jacksonville, Florida.

Soest, R.W.M. van, 1978. Marine sponges from Curaçao and other Caribbean islands. Part I. Keratosa. Studies on the fauna of Curaçao and other Caribbean islands, 179.

You can continue searching for Aiolochroia crassa on one of these Web sites:

Fauna Europaea (animals) | IOPI (plants) | NCBI (genetic)

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