Placeholder ID
Sample collected (240614_A)
Shallow - Accessible from surface at low tide
Very similar to Haliclona (Haliclona) urceolus.
Habitat:
Sublittoral, found in lower intertidal during maximum tides.
Consistency:
The sponge is loose & flexible, not rubbery or slimy.
Spicules:
Dominated by one size class of Oxea 102-128um (average 117.5) length, 3.1-5.1um wide (average 3.9) bent in the middle. Also, less numerous oxea similar shape & length but thinner. Photos 2 & 3
Approximately the same length and shape as the oxea, numerous hairlike raphides (or maybe they are just super-thin oxea).
Rare are semicircular to 3/4 circular sigmas with a slight bulge at each tip. Photo 4 I now think these are artefacts of my slide prep and not real.
Extremely rare are orthotriaene and protriaene (I only found one) spicules. Photos 5-6
Skeleton:
Similar to Haliclona (Haliclona) urceolus: A square(ish) simple lattice supported by spicule tracts. Photos 7-8. Compare with drawing 1 and 2 of H.(H) urceolus: http://species-identification.org/species.php?species_group=sponges&menuentry=soorten&id=255&tab=multimedia