Polymastia croceus

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Polymastia croceus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Hadromerida
Family: Polymastiidae
Genus: Polymastia
Species: P. croceus
Binomial name
Polymastia croceus
Kelly-Borges & Bergquist, 1997

Polymastia croceus is a species of demosponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is found in subtidal habitats below 6 m depth in the far north of North Island, New Zealand.

This is a globular sponge up to 4 cm across or an encrusting sponge up to 7 cm across. This soft-textured sponge is very bright yellow outside and in with the surface covered in small papillae, some with pores, some without. This sponge is frequently infested with the parasitic amphipod Polycheria antarctica. At least three species of symbiont foraminifera are found within this sponge.

[edit] References