Species Overview

Phorbas californiana (de Laubenfels, 1932).

SPONGE:

Shape: Thickly encrusting amorphous
Size_Thickness: --15 mm
Color_Preserved: Pale drab
Consistency: Fragile
Color_Alive: Drab

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Intertidal to Subtidal
Distribution: Southern California

Oscula:

Diameter: 0.50 -- 0.75 mm
Rims: none -flush

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: Isolated branched tracts of Tylostrongyles as well as scattered spicules of all kinds

Megasclere:

Shape: Style - Tylostyle
Length: 162 -(224|255)-289 µ
Width: 2 -(4|6)-7 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Tylostrongyle
Length: 222 -(247|265)- 294 µ
Width: 3 -(5|7)-10 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Acanthostyle
Length: 166 -(238|260)- 311 µ
Width: 3 -6- 7 ) µ

Surface:

Texture: superficially smooth
Contour: numerous small low profile tubercles and a few smooth ridges

Ectosome:

Dermal Membrane: Fleshy; detachable containing tangential Tylostrongyles and Acanthostyles

Choanosome:

Architecture: Isolated branched tracts of Tylostrongyles as well as scattered spicules of all kinds

Megasclere:

Shape: Subtylostyles - Tylostyles
Length: 162 -(224|255)- 289 µ
Width: 2 -(4|6)- 7 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Acanthostyles
Length: 166 -(238|260)- 311 µ
Width: 3 -6- 7 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Subtylostrongyles-Tylostrongyles
Length: 222 -(247|265)- 294 µ
Length: 3 -(5|7)- 10 µ