Species Overview

Rhizaxinella gadus (De Laubenfels, 1926).

SPONGE:

Shape: Branched cylindrical stem with enlarged clavate terminations
Size_height: 30 cm
Size_diameter_lobes: 2 cm
Size_length_lobes: 10 cm
Color_Preserved: White

HABITAT:

Benthic Region: Marine: Subtidal
Distribution: Central California

Surface:

Texture: superficially smooth.

Oscula:

Rims: rimmed
Diameter: 1.5 -- 2.0 mm

Skeleton:

Composition: Silicate
Architecture: 1.5 to 2 mm thick;cartilaginous; bluish white. Densely packed with spicules perpendicular to surface -points outward. Stem brown central axis of dense longitudinal spicules.

Ectosome:

Architecture: 1.5 to 2 mm thick;cartilaginous; bluish white. Densely packed with spicules perpendicular to surface -points outward. Stem brown central axis of dense longitudinal spicules.

Choanosome:

Spicules: With few large spicules.

Megasclere:

Shape: Tylostyles]
Length: 200 -- 1320 µ
Width: 10 -- 50 µ