| Tetilla capillosa | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Tetractinellida |
| Family: | Tetillidae |
| Genus: | Tetilla |
| Species: | T. capillosa |
| Binomial name | |
| Tetilla capillosa Lévi, 1967 | |
Tetilla capillosa, the furry sponge, is a species of demosponge from southern Africa.
This brown to grey-green sponge has a hemispherical to ovoid form. It is firm and tough and typically grows to be 60 mm (2.4 in) wide. [1] The surface is completely covered in outward projecting spicules which may be up to 4 mm (0.16 in) long. It has a single large oscule (4–6 mm (0.16–0.24 in)) at the top. [1] [2] The cortex is undifferentiated. [2]
The following spicules make up the skeleton of this species: [2]
Tracts of protriaenes, anatrienes and oxeas form a form a radial or spiral skeleton. [2] They pierce the ectosome. These projecting spicules are soft and fuzzy. This is where the common name of the species comes from. [1] Scattered oxeas are also present between these tracts. Sigmaspires are abundant throughout the sponge. [2]
This species is found on the south and west coasts of southern Africa. [1] It is found living at depths of 227–474 m (745–1,555 ft) off the coasts of South Africa and Namibia. [2]
Sponge reefs are reefs produced by sea sponges. All modern sponge reefs are formed by hexactinellid sponges, which have an endoskeleton made of silica spicules and are often referred to as "glass sponges", while historically the non-spiculed, calcite-skeletoned archaeocyathid and stromatoporoid sponges were the primariy reef-builders.
Clathrina ceylonensis is a species of calcareous sponge from Sri Lanka. The species name is derived from Ceylon, the former name of Sri Lanka.
Clathrina coriacea is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the class Calcarea and family Clathrinidae. Species in the genus Clathrina are composed of calcium carbonate tube-like skeletons containing spicules. The sponge can be located in shallow waters widely distributed along North Atlantic coasts, as well as on other coasts.
Ascandra izuensis is a species of sea sponge in the family Clathrinidae. The species is named after the Izu peninsula where the holotype was collected.
Arturia tenuipilosa is a species of calcareous sponge from Sri Lanka. The name refers to the very thin, hair-like oxea present in this species.
Spicules are structural elements found in most sponges. The meshing of many spicules serves as the sponge's skeleton and thus it provides structural support and potentially defense against predators.
The orange wall sponge is a species of sea sponge belonging to the order Trachycladida. It is found in the south Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans. Around the South African coast, it is known from the Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas.
Neopetrosia subtriangularis is a species of marine petrosiid sponges native to the waters off Florida and the Caribbean Sea. They superficially resemble staghorn corals.
Vosmaeropsis mackinnoni is a species of calcareous sponge in the family Heteropiidae, and was first described in 1924 by Arthur Dendy and Leslie M. Frederick. It is known only from its type locality in the Abrolhos Islands, in Western Australia.
Acarnidae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Poecilosclerida. It has a global distribution, although several genera occur primarily in colder temperate waters, and several have very restricted ranges. It is estimated that there are several hundred species.
Coelosphaeridae is a family of sponges belonging to the order Poecilosclerida. Species are found across the globe.
Hamacantha esperoides is a species of demosponge. It is commonly known as the fibrous sponge. It occurs off the southern and western coasts of South Africa, off the coast of Namibia, and off the southeast coast of South America.
Inflatella belli, or the gooseberry sponge, is a species of demosponge that appears to be restricted to the southern hemisphere, where it is widespread. It occurs from the coast of Namibia and the Indo-pacific, down to the Subantarctic and Antarctic regions.
Mycale anisochela, the brain sponge, is a species of demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Polymastia bouryesnaultae, the knobbly sponge, is a small and cryptic species of demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Suberites dandelenae, the amorphous solid sponge, is a species of deep-sea demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Penares sphaera, the crater sponge, is a deep sea demosponge from southern Africa.
Tetilla is a genus of demosponges in the family Tetillidae. It is widely distributed. They are mainly found in deeper habitats.
Tetilla casula, the volcano sponge, is a species of demosponge from the south coast of South Africa.
Rossella antarctica is a relatively small species of glass sponge. It is widely distributed in the southern hemisphere, particularly in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.