Aiolochroia crassa (Hyatt, 1875)

Fig. 47

Diagnostic features.

Massive/lobate to amorphous. Variable color from yellow to pink and purple. The surface has roundish conules. The oscula are on top of lobe(s), have small flat oscular membranes the same color than the sponge. Compressible and dense in consistency.

Similar species.

Some specimens of Verongula rigida, with few ridges at the surface, can be confused with this species.

Distribution and abundance.

This species is very common at shallow coral reefs in Florida, Bermuda, Bahamas, throughout the Caribbean, Brazil, and Gulf of Mexico. At mesophotic depths in FGBNMS it is widely distributed, occurring at ten sites.

Ecology.

Coral communities.

Identification.

KR, CA, SWK, MCD.

Reference.

Wiedenmayer 1977.