Haliclona (Soestella) sp. 2

Fig. 9 c, f

Diagnostic features.

Small specimen (l × w × h; 45 × 32 × 25 mm) with magenta color in life and pale white in alcohol. Massive shape with large osculum. Ectosomal skeleton shows multispicular fiber tracts. Spicules are oxeas, larger oxeas 102–130.9 (116.1) × 3.8–6.5 (5) µm (n = 24), and thin oxeas 78.4–114.4 (96.8) × 1.3–4.1 (2.5) µm (n = 20). Rounded meshes formed by the spicules characterized those species as belonging to the subgenus Soestella (de Weerdt 2000) . However, due to differences in color and variation of the macro-morphology, it can be distinguished from Haliclona (Soestella) elegantia .

Distribution and ecology.

West Kayangan Island and Gusung Tallang Island, the Spermonde Archipelago; turbid environment.