Species Overview

Halichondria (Halichondria) panicea (Pallas, 1766)

SPONGE:

Shape: Encrusting; sometimes more massive
Color_Alive: Chrome yellow; yellow-tan;in well-lighted situations- olive or green at surface

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Intertidal; Subtidal; Deep water
Depth: --113 m
Distribution: Southern California to Northern California
Habitat: On open coast.

Pores:

Distribution: closely spaced in areas between tracts

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: Typical halichondriid structure

Ectosome:

Architecture: irregular and indistinct meshwork formed of loose bundles of spicules and of individual spicules mixed with occasional tracts

Megasclere:

Shape: Oxeas
Length: 160 -313- 420 µ
Width: 1 -5- 12 µ

Surface:

Apparence: Opaque

Oscula:

Visible: Obvious
Distribution: Rows of oscules borne on ridges
Rim: May have tube-like oscules

Choanosome:

Color: yellow

Ectosome:

Color: light greenish
Architecture: Regular loose reticulation of multispicular tracts; Tangential skeleton not easily removed