Clathria (Thalysias) virgultosa ( Lamarck, 1814 )

Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, Zootaxa 3805 (1), pp. 1-129 : 63

Clathria (Thalysias) virgultosa ( Lamarck, 1814)

Synonymy and References. Raphidophlus juniperinus ( Lamarck, 1814) : van Soest (1984a): 109, fig. 43.

Material. USNM 1229024, Carrie Bow Cay lagoon, under concrete dock, 1 m; K. Ruetzler col. 17 Jun 1977. USNM 1229025, Carrie Bow Cay reef flat, under coral rubble, 0.5 m; K. Ruetzler col. 29 Jan 1986. USNM 1229026, Carrie Bow Cay lagoon, under coral rubble, 1 m; K. Ruetzler col. 8 May 2007. USNM 1229027, Carrie Bow Cay back reef and reef flat, inside dead conch shells, 1 m; K. Ruetzler and C. Piantoni col. 23 Feb 2006. USNM 1229028, Curlew Bank, forereef cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni, col. 28 Jun 2007. USNM 1229029, Carrie Bow Cay forereef, lower surface of Agaricia coral plate, 21 m; C. Piantoni col. 28 Jun 2007. USNM 1229030 Carrie Bow Cay, South reef, lower surface of rock slab; K. Ruetzler col. 13 Mar 0 9. USNM 1229031, Carrie Bow Cay, south back reef, lower surface of platy coral rubble, 1 m; K. Ruetzler col. 17 Aug 2012. USNM 1229032, 1229033, 1229034, Carrie Bow Cay lagoon, under concrete dock, 0.5 m; K. Ruetzler col. 18 Aug 2012.

External morphology. Cryptic specimens are encrusting, fleshy soft, slightly mucous; they cover 30–50 cm 2 area. Oscula are inconspicuous, generally about 1 mm, maximum 2 mm in diameter. Live color is bright red to orange red, some specimens were recorded to have a greenish yellow hue over dark red.

Skeleton structure. An irregular network of spongin fibers cored by (sub-) tylostyles, echinated by stubby acanthostyles. Smaller tylostyles are in the ectosome, some forming brushes at the surface.

Spicules. Styles, thickest near the rounded ends: 200–400 x 3–13 (318 x 7) Μm; (sub-)tylostyles I: 260–320 x 3–6 (283 x 5) Μm; (sub-)tylostyles II: 100–143 x 2–3 (122 x 3) Μm; acanthostyles: 38– 70 x 5–8 (50 x 7) Μm; regular toxas: 20–60 (35) Μm; rhaphidiform toxas: 108–280 (167) Μm; palmate isochaelas: 12–14 (13) Μm.

Ecology. All cryptic specimens were found either on concrete pillars under a boat dock, on the undersides of reef rubble, or inside small forereef caves; from 0.5– 21 m.

Distribution. Forida, Bahamas, Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.

Comments. Branching growth forms of the sponge are also found in full light, both in reef and lagoon habitats.