PORT PHILLIP BAY


Sponge 

Protosuberites sp. MoV 6696

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Members of this genus all have an encrusting form and a velvety surface, barely visible by eye, produced by a brush of protruding tips of tylostyle spicules at the sponge surface. This characteristic velvety appearance is termed hispid, and appears repeatedly throughout the Phylum Porifera.

Brief species characters:
Growth form: encrusting.
Mineral skeleton: siliceous.
Megescleres: monaxone.
Surface texture: velvety, lumpy.

Family level characters:
Suberitid sponges are characterised by their lack of a differentiated outer layer, cortex, and the absence of microscleres in all but a few species. Body form can be encrusting, massive-globular, or stalked and branching.

Order level characters:
Hadromerid sponges are often brightly coloured and are also characterised by a radial arrangement of megascleres in the cortex. The megascleres are pin-head shaped tylostyles and pointed, rod-shaped oxeas. Microscleres if present may be star-shaped, rod-shaped or spiral and are key characters when separating these sponges at the family level.

Source: Goudie, L., Norman, M. N. and Finn, J. K. (in press) Sponges, Museum Victoria.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Porifera
Class:
Demospongiae
Order:
Hadromerida
Family:
Suberitidae
Genus:
Protosuberites

General Description

An orange sponge species with encrusting form. Size of about 30 cm.

Biology

This encrusting species can take the form of a thin layer over a large rock boulder.

Habitat

Reef and jetty areas, to depth of 5 m.

Sponge gardens

Reefs

Distribution guide

Port Phillip in Victoria.

Species Group

Sponges › Demosponges

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

30 cm

Diet

Plankton or particles

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Recorded in Australia

Species Code

sp. MoV 6696

Identify

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Goudie, L.

Lisa Goudie is a consultant with expertise in sponge taxonomy.

citation

Cite this page as:
Goudie, L., 2011, Sponge, Protosuberites , in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 25 Feb 2025, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/7682

Text: creative commons cc by licence