Batzella cf. rubra (Alcolado, 1984)

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

Batzella cf. rubra (Alcolado, 1984)

Fig. 31

Diagnostic features.

Thinly encrusting sponge (1-10 mm thick) growing over dead coral. Orange to red color in life, black to purple in alcohol. The surface is smooth to bumpy with whitish branching dermal canals, and roundish papillae with two or three clumps of ostia. The cf. is due to the rounded papillae only described for Batzella mollis , a species found at the "Juan Fernandez and Desventuradas islands" off the Chilean Pacific coast.

Similar species.

Esteves et al. (2018) describe three tropical western Atlantic Batzella spp: Batzella rubra (deep orange-red, smooth), Batzella ficus (dark brown), and Batzella cataniresis (yellow). Monanchora arbuscula in its orange morphotype can be confused with Batzella cf. rubra .

Distribution and abundance.

This is the first record from mesophotic reefs. At FGBNMS the species has been recorded with rare to low abundance (1-10) in three localities.

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, algal nodules, lower mesophotic reefs.

Identification.

KR, SK, CA, MCD.

References.

Alcolado 1984; Esteves et al. 2018.

Figures

Figure 31. Batzella cf. rubra, 70 m deep. Sample DFH 9 - 6 F.