Yucatania sphaeroidocladus (Hartman & Hubbard, 1999)

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

Yucatania sphaeroidocladus (Hartman & Hubbard, 1999)

Fig. 44

Diagnostic features.

Encrusting to massive sponge (1-9 cm in thickness). Ochre brown externally in life. The sponge has a vermetid gastropod growing within its body. Surface microhispid, rough to the touch, oscula numerous and scattered, rounded to oval, 1-4.5 mm wide. Some of the openings at the surface correspond to the vermetids.

Similar species.

Any massive-amorphous to subglobular species that accumulate debris can be confused with this species. Spicule composition is essential for its identification.

Distribution and abundance.

Mesophotic depths from eastern Brazil, Guiana, Trinidad, and continental platform of the Yucatan Peninsula. Widely distributed at the mesophotic depths in FGBNMS (12 sites), with rare or medium abundance (1-100).

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, algal nodules, lower mesophotic reefs.

Identification.

KR, CA, SWK, MCD.

References.

Gómez 2006; Hartman and Hubbard 1999.

Figures

Figure 44. In-situ photograph of Yucatania sphaeroidocladus sp. 70 - 72 m deep. Samples DFH 9 - 5 C, DFH 9 - 6 D.