''Haliclona stilensis'', the encrusting turret sponge, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
demosponge
Demosponges (Demospongiae) are the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera. They include 76.2% of all species of sponges with nearly 8,800 species worldwide (World Porifera Database). They are sponges with a soft body that covers a har ...
.
[Samaai, T. and Gibbons, M.J. 2005. Demospongiae taxonomy and biodiversity of the Benguela region on the west coast of South Africa. ''Afr. Nat. Hist''. 1(1):1–96] It is known around the southern African coast, from Namibia to the South African south coast.
Description
''Haliclona stilensis'' grows to about 1 cm thick. It is a thinly encrusting sponge which is highly variable in both shape and colour. It may be encrusting with small turrets or form branching structures with tall turrets. Turrets have large
oscula at their apexes. Its colour ranges from beige to dark purple.
Habitat
This sponge lives from the subtidal zone and down to at least 15m underwater. It may encrust
mussel
Mussel () is the common name used for members of several families of bivalve molluscs, from saltwater and Freshwater bivalve, freshwater habitats. These groups have in common a shell whose outline is elongated and asymmetrical compared with other ...
s or other hard surfaces or be found under stones in sheltered to moderately exposed areas.
[Jones, Georgina. ''A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula.'' SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ]
References
stilensis
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