Cacospongia proficens Pulitzer-Finali and Pronzato, 1980 Fig. 32

Cacospongia proficens Pulitzer-Finali and Pronzato, 1980: 141.

Description.

Growth form massive at the basal portion with several ascending conical processes each bearing a small apical oscule. Specimen designated as the holotype, measures 6 × 7 cm at the base, and has about ten processes up to 2 cm high, 12-13 mm wide at their base. Consistency soft and easy to tear. Colour in formalin grey, cream internally. Surface conulose with no sand in the dermal membrane. Conules sharp, ca . 0.5 mm high and 1 mm apart. Skeleton network reticulate, irregular, with meshes 200-1100 µm wide, resembling that of Cacospongia mollior . Primary fibres of laminar spongin, branching, not fasciculate (50-100 µm in diameter), tapering (15-20 µm) towards the conule; they contain abundant foreign material consisting mainly of the mostly entire spicules of the associated species of Haliclona ( Reniera). Secondary fibres (25-80 µm in thickness) of laminar spongin, free from inclusions.

Habitat.

Cave. Bathymetric range 2-15 m.

Mediterranean Caves.

Galatea* Cave (Sardinian Sea); Pagliai, Viole, Cala Sorrentino, Torre Incine caves (Southern Adriatic Sea) (Pulitzer-Finali and Pronzato 1980; Pronzato and Manconi 2011; Cadeddu 2012).

Remarks.

See remarks in Cacospongia scalaris .