Aplysina cauliformis ( Carter, 1882 )

Rützler, Klaus, Piantoni, Carla, Van, Rob W. M. & Díaz, Cristina, 2014, Diversity of sponges (Porifera) from cryptic habitats on the Belize barrier reef near Carrie Bow Cay, Zootaxa 3805 (1), pp. 1-129 : 97

Aplysina cauliformis ( Carter, 1882)

Synonymy and references. Aplysina cauliformis ( Carter, 1882) : Wiedenmayer (1977): 68, pl. 7: 1–3 (including synonymy); van Soest (1978): 62, pl. 11: 1, pl. 13: 2.

Material. USNM 1191351, Carrie Bow forereef cave, off Curlew Bank, 20 m; C. Piantoni col. 2 Jul 2007.

External morphology. A single branch, attached by a small encrusting base, protruding perpendicularly from a cave wall toward the light. Diameter 12 mm at the base, reaching 16 mm toward the distal rounded end. Tiny oscular opening (less than 0.5 mm, after fixation), irregularly dispersed along the branch. Firm but elastic consistency. Color reddish brown, changing to brown in alcohol (no aeophobic blackening).

Skeleton. The fiber meshes are 0.2–2.5 mm in diameter. Thickness of the amber fibers is 70–120 (202) Μm, the pith takes up about a third of the diameter.

Ecology. Common on the open reef where its color is brownish to purplish, often with a bluish iridescent hue; less common in shaded environments; 8– 30 m.

Distribution. Tropical western Atlantic, from the Bahamas to Brazil.