Haliclona (Reniera) mucifibrosa

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 : 81-82

Haliclona (Reniera) mucifibrosa de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991

Synonymy and references. Haliclona mucifibrosa de Weerdt et al., 1991: 190, figs. 2a–c, 3b, 4a, b. Haliclona (Reniera) mucifibrosa de Weerdt, Rützler & Smith, 1991: de Weerdt, 2000: 21, figs. 3D, 10.

Material. USNM 1229107, Carrie Bow Cay North, back reef near crest, underside of A corpora palmata coral rubble, 0.3 m; K. Ruetzler col. 23 Apr 1974.

External morphology. Cushions of about 20 cm 2, 10 mm thick. Few, scattered oscula of 2 mm diameter. Soft, elastic consistency, mucous when rubbed between fingers. Live color grayish blue.

Skeleton structure. More or less isodictyal reticulation throughout, with a few multispicular tracts in the choanosome.

Spicules. Some straight, but mostly slightly curved oxeas: 210–270 x 7–15 (248 x 11) Μm.

Ecology. Common on subtidal mangrove roots but also reported from reefs, 0.1– 20 m.

Distribution. Florida and throughout the Caribbean.

Comments. This species is usually found with stout oscular chimneys but our specimen, and others observed in the same location, were crustose, apparently due to the high-energy conditions in this habitat.