Identifying Sponges

Key to California Porifera (Page 109)

( From page 108 A) Sigmas present. No microspined Microxeas (Onychaetes) present.
[A]
Oxeas > 300 μm.
cc109A.jpg (de Laubenfels,1926)
Sponge: Concave-convex lamellate 1 cm thick; 12 cm in diameter. Consistency: firm, brittle. Surface: superficially smooth. Oscula: on concave side only, circular or oval, 0.7 - 1.1 mm in diameter.
Color: Pres: Pale drab.
Spicules: Megascleres: (1) Oxeas: 340 - 460 um. x 19 - 25 um.
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Microscleres:
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(1) Sigmas C-shaped with sharply recurved apices: 50 - 123 um.
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Skeleton: Ectosome: Detachable, optically evident confused tangential reticulation of large spicules; the polygonal meshes 0.5 - 0.8 mm in diameter. Choanosome is a somewhat confused isodictyal reticulation with spongin nodes, but with tracts showing a tendency to form rounded meshes.
Distribution: Southern to Central California.
Depth: Deep water, 720 m.
Note: Designated as Haliclona (Gellius) textapatina in the Systema (De Weerdt, 2002). However recent review places it in Xestospongia. Was Sigmadocia.
[B] GO TO PAGE 110
Oxeas < 300 μm.
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