Haliclona (Soestella) luciensis

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 : 82

Haliclona (Soestella) luciensis de Weerdt, 2000

Synonymy and references. Haliclona (Soestella) luciensis de Weerdt, 2000: 33, figs. 3E, 20.

Material. USNM 1229109, Curlew Bank, lower surface of Agaricia coral plate, 21 m; C. Piantoni col. 28 Jun 2007. USNM 1229110, Curlew Bank, inside forereef cave, 20 m; C. Piantoni col. 29 Jun 2007.

External morphology. Thick cushions nested into coral crevices and covered by crustose coralline algae and sponge crusts; specimens were 20–100 ml in volume. Cavernous inside, oscular chimneys protrude from the encrusted mass; oscular diameters, 5–12 mm. Consistency soft and brittle, exposed surfaces smooth to the touch, dark brown in color.

Skeleton structure. Tangential meshwork of oxeas, many loosely in between, in the ectosome, multispicular tracts and meshes in the choanosome.

Spicules. Slightly curved oxeas with blunt points: 160–200 x 5–8 (174 x 7) Μm; raphids (rare): 107–150 (121) x <1 Μm.

Ecology. Previously described from a shallow reef slope, now found in cave habitats; 18– 21 m.

Distribution. Caribbean.