Species Overview

Iophon rayae (Bakus, 1966) .

SPONGE:

Shape: Thin; encrusting; amorphous
Color_Alive: Cinnamon cinnamon-brown orange
Consistency: Soft; easily compressible

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Intertidal; Subtidal; Deep water
Depth: -79- m
Distribution: Central to Northern California

Surface:

Texture: Surface smooth and mucoid

Oscula:

Density: abundant
Diameter: 67--500 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Subtylote-Strongyle-Tylostrongyle
Length: 109 -(141|158)- 186 µ
Width: 3 -4 - 5 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Subtylostyle (may be absent)
Length: 174 -189 - 206 µ

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: Acanthostyles with heads embedded in basal spongin. Echinating tracts arise from here to surface. Surrounding tissue with loose megascleres and Anisochelae

Ectosome:

Dermal membrane: with bundles of diacts in horizontal clusters plus Anisochelae

Choanosome:

Architecture: Acanthostyles with heads embedded in basal spongin. Echinating tracts arise from here to surface. Surrounding tissue with loose megascleres and Anisochelae

Megasclere:

Shape: Acanthostyles
Length: 84 -(124|165)- 192 µ
Width: 6 -(10|11)- 14 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Acanthostyles
Length: 149 -(174|209)- 265 µ
Width: 6 - (10|11)- 14 µ

Megasclere:

Shape: Subtylostyle
Length: 174 -189 - 206 µ
Frequency: May be absent

Microsclere:

Shape: Palmate Anisochelae
Length: 5 -(15|18)- 24 µ