Rhizaxinella clava (Schmidt, 1870)

Fig. 35

Diagnostic features.

The "corn dog sponge". A pale brown, clavate, stipitate sponge (15 cm in total length) with a long thin peduncle (2 mm in diameter at attachment area) and an upper globose soft body (1 cm in diameter at its thickest part). The surface is very smooth and velvety. The apical oscule is slit-shaped and has a collared membrane visible in the in-situ photograph. The sponge is firm but slightly compressible.

Similar species.

The "corn dog sponge" is similar externally to the "lollipop sponge", Stylocordyla chupachups and to other members of the family Stylocordylidae, which are mostly present in cold deep waters.

Distribution and abundance.

Currently reported at mesophotic depths in the Florida Keys, Guyana, Surinam, and northwestern GOM at the FGBNMS. At FGBNMS the species is widespread, occurring at 15 sites with abundance from rare to very common (1-100+).

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, silted lower mesophotic reefs.

Identification.

KR, CA, SWK, MCD.

Reference.

Pomponi et al. 2019; van Soest 2017.