Species Overview

Higginsia sp. Klontz, 1989.

SPONGE:

Shape: Thinly encrusting
Size_Thickness: -- 5 mm
Color_Alive: Pale buff; tan
Color_ Preserved: Drab

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Intertidal;Deep Water?
Depth: -379- m
Distribution: Central California.

Surface:

Texture: superficially smooth
Contour: may be ridged (these formed by spicule bundles angled to the surface) or rugose
Spicules: Long oxeas form brushes at surface

Ectosome:

Dermal membrane: often with sand grains
Spicules: Covers a dense layer of small Oxeas and Acanthoxeas

Choanosome:

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Architecture: multispicular style tracts arise from basal membrane;160-200 µm thick reaching near surface
Spicules: Acanthoxeas scattered in choanosome

Megasclere:

Shape: Tylostyles
Length: 1.16-(1.95|2.85)-3.36 mm

Megasclere:

Shape: Styles (rarely subtylostyles); heads bent
Length: 897 -(1001|1634)- 1879 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Oxeas
Length: 473 -(760|868)- 1818 µ

Microsclere:

Shape: Centrotylote Oxeas
Length: 36 -(52|69)- 96 µ

Microsclere:

Shape: Acanthoxeas
Length: 48 -(74|82)- 109 µ

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: multispicular style tracts arise from basal membrane;160-200 µm thick reaching near surface