Species Overview

264
KeyPics/cc151A.jpg

Forcepia (Forcepia) macrostylosa Lee, 2001.

Synonyms:

SPONGE:
Shape: Thick;massive;somewhat domed -bulbous
Size_thickness: -23- mm
Color_Alive: Unknown
Color_Preserved: Light tan
Consistency: compressible
HABITAT:
Benthic Region: Marine: Deep water
Distribution: Southern California: Catalina Basin.

CHARACTERS

Surface:
Texture: superficially smooth
Contour: Some areas smooth others layered with overlapping thin
Oscula:
Visible: difficult to discern
Ectosome:
Architecture: Removeable thin layer of packed Subtylotes. Sometimes worn away.
Choanosome:
Architecture: Ladder-like reticulation with tracts of Subtylostyles supporting a loose reticulation. Ladder-like skeleton less obvious near surface where it may bend parallel to surface.
Skeleton:
Composition: Silicate
Architecture: Ladder-like reticulation with tracts of Subtylostyles supporting a loose reticulation. Ladder-like skeleton less obvious near surface where it may bend parallel to surface.
Megasclere:
Shape: Styles-Subtylostyles
Length: 268 -499- 593 µ
Width: 18 -20- 22 µ
Megasclere:
Shape: Subtylotes
Length: 309 - 372- 540 µ
Width: 6 -8- 9 µ
Microsclere:
Shape: Arcuate Isochelae
Length: 19 -23- 29 µ
Microsclere:
Shape: Arcuate Isochelae
Length: 36 -44- 50 µ
Microsclere:
Shape: Sigmas
Length: 45 -60- 66 µ
Microsclere:
Shape: Forceps
Length: 9 -50- 87 µ