Placospherastra antillensis van Soest, 2009

Fig. 19

Diagnostic features.

Thick encrusting (1-5 mm thick). Color in life orange, dark orange, brown-orange, or yellowish. The surface consists of elongated plates, separated by meandering ridges and grooves with pores. The system of plates and ridges is irregular in shape. Consistency hard, rough to the touch.

Similar species.

The plates and canals on the surface are similar to Placospongia spp. surface. The intense orange color of Placospherastra antillensis, and the spicules allow their differentiation.

Distribution and abundance.

Usually under coral rubble and in reef caves, 20-23 m depth in Bonaire and Belize. First report at mesophotic depths. At FGBNMS the species has a widespread distribution occurring at 11 sites with rare to medium abundance (1-100).

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, algal nodules, lower mesophotic reefs.

Identification.

KR, SK, CA.

References.

van Soest, 2009; Rützler et al. 2014.