Didiscus oxeatus Hechtel, 1983

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

Didiscus oxeatus Hechtel, 1983

Fig. 9

Diagnostic features.

Massive to crustose, brown reddish to orange in color externally, orange internally. Highly ornamented surface consisting of variously shaped plates and vermiform grooves. Few oscula, all with an orange membrane.

Similar species.

Myrmekioderma gyroderma and Myrmekioderma rea are very similar externally; the distinction of their microscleres allows their differentiation. Didiscus spp. have discorhabds and Myrmekioderma spp. have trichodragmata (see Boury Esnault and Rützler 1997.

Distribution and abundance.

Throughout the Caribbean, SE Brazil, and northern GOM on shallow reefs. Mesophotic reefs at FGBNMS, Lesser and Greater Antilles, Florida, Bahamas, and Brazil ( Pomponi et al. 2019). At FGBNMS the species was found once at one site.

Ecology.

Coralline algae reefs, algal nodules.

Identification.

KR, SK, CA, MCD.

Reference.

Alcolado 1984.

Figures

Figure 9. Didiscus oxeatus, 60 m deep. Sample DFH 9 - 11 B.