Batzella rubra (Alcolado, 1984)

Diaz, Maria Cristina, Nuttall, Marissa, Pomponi, Shirley A., Ruetzler, Klaus, Klontz, Sarah, Adams, Christi, Hickerson, Emma L. & Schmahl, G. P., 2023, An annotated and illustrated identification guide to common mesophotic reef sponges (Porifera, Demospongiae, Hexactinellida, and Homoscleromorpha) inhabiting Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary and vicinities, ZooKeys 1161, pp. 1-68 : 1

Batzella rubra (Alcolado, 1984)

Fig. 30

Diagnostic features.

Thinly encrusting sponge, growing over dead coral or other sponges. Deep orange to bright red color in live. The surface is smooth and ornamented by paler colored dermal canals that branch away from the oscula, wide close to the oscula and thinner away from it. The consistency is compressible where the sponge is thicker.

Similar species.

The sponge can be confused with other red encrusting species, but the particular ‘dripping’ morphology of the dermal canals makes them easy to distinguish.

Distribution and abundance.

This species is reported from shallow reefs in Cuba and Bahamas. This is the first report for the species at mesophotic reefs. At FGBNMS the specimen on the photograph was found at east Flower Garden Bank and the species has rare to moderate abundance at ten other sites.

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, algal nodules, lower mesophotic reefs.

Identification.

MCD.

Reference.

Alcolado 1984; Zea et al. 2014.

Figures

Figure 30. Batzella rubra, 90 m deep. Specimen observed on the photo of sample DFH 9 - 13 A.