Species Overview

Xestospongia dubia (Ristau, 1978).

SPONGE:

Shape: Encrusting
Size_Thickness: 4--8 mm
Consistency: Firm-Compressable
Color -Alive: White

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Low Intertidal-Subtidal
Depth: 1.5 --7.0 m
Distribution: Central to Northern California

Oscula:

Diameter: 0.8--1.3 mm
Distribution: 3-5 mm apart
Rim: either with volcano-like rims 0.5-1.5 mm high or flush with surface

Choanosome:

Architecture: reticulation of multispicular tracts
Tracts: 6-10 spicules wide]
Architecture: Tracts varying to a confused arrangement of spicules

Surface:

Texture: smooth.

Ectosome:

Architecture: Tangential ectosomal skeleton
Tracts: 2-5 spicules wide
Architecture: irregular polygonal network with meshes 120-140 µm

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: Reticulation of multispicular tracts 6-10 spicules wide

Megasclere:

Shape: Oxeas -straight to slightly curved.
Length: 140 -- 180 µ
Width: 10--16 µ