Halichondria (Halichondria) cartilaginea (Esper, 1797)

Fig. 17

Description.

Massive creeping growth form with upright branches (branching). These branches are irregular and form mats covering the substrate. Color bright green, flexible / cartilaginous. This species lives in association with Chlorophyta Cladophoropsis vaucheriiformis (Areschoug) Papenfuss, 1958 (van Soest 1990). Spicules are only oxeas, 125.46–252.45 (191.40) × 4.03–7.40 (5.37) µm.

Distribution and ecology.

Currently this species is recorded from China, Vietnam, Malacca Strait, Banda Sea, and East African Coral Coast. According to the WPD checklist (de Voogd et al. 2024), this is the first record from the Spermonde Archipelago, Badi Island; reef flat.