Haliclona anonyma
Species of sponge
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Haliclona anonyma, the turret sponge or tubular fan sponge, is a species of demosponge.[1][2] It is endemic to South Africa,[3] where it occurs between the Cape Peninsula and Sodwana Bay.[2]
| Haliclona anonyma | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Haplosclerida |
| Family: | Chalinidae |
| Genus: | Haliclona |
| Subgenus: | Haliclona |
| Species: | H. anonyma |
| Binomial name | |
| Haliclona anonyma (Stephens, 1915) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Description
Haliclona anonyma grows to about 50 cm (20 in) across and has turrets of up to 15 cm (5.9 in) long. It is a pink to purplish or brown many-turreted sponge, which grows in sheets usually on vertical walls. The coalescent (fused) tubular branches terminate in rounded ends with slightly raised conspicuous oscules. Its surface is slightly bristly with small ostia (channels allowing for water movement), and its texture is soft and compressible.[2][3]
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