Myriastra fibrosa

Size

Colony height and width: 15cm (6")

Recognition Characters

Sponge is encrusting with a tendency to become lobate or round in form, almost softball shaped. Sponge division of outer cortex and inner choanosome is easily apparent. Outer cortex is smooth, thin, strong, firm, and incompressible. Two or more large oscules are conspicuous. Spicules are (1) orthotriaenes, (2) anatriaenes, (3) oxeas, primarily from the interior of the sponge, (4) slighty curved oxeas from the cortex, and (5) euasters from the cortex.

Color

Drab, dark brown to purplish brown with patches of white

Habitat & Depth

Encrust temperate and tropical reefs. To 30m.

Distribution at GRNMS

Occasional. Found in cracks and crevices of reef. Difficult to see because often encrusted with rocks, shells, sediment, and reef debris.

Geographic Range

North Carolina south to the Bahamas

Behavior & Notes

Synonyms

References

Wells et al. 1960, Sterrer 1986