Description

Description: Specimens consist of slender cylindrical branches with regular diameter, single or grouped, sometimes with anastomoses and ramifications. In studied specimens the projections present a maximum length of 36 cm, and maximum diameter of 1 cm. Oscula are often longitudinally aligned on the projections. The surface is finely conulose. Consistency hard. Purple or light-yellow in vivo, and purple after preservation in alcohol (Figs. 1 B – C, 4 A). Skeleton: Choanosome formed by an irregular polygonal reticulation of spongin fibers (Fig. 4 B). Bark with amber colour 22 – 190 Μm thick (average 74 Μm) and a thick pith that can be black or amber, 7 – 115 Μm (average 30 Μm) (Fig. 4 C, Tab. II). TABLE II: Spongin fibres’ measurement data for Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882) (in micrometers, S. D. = Standard Deviation and N = 30). UFRJPOR 4407 (REVIZEE) BA 77.5 126.2 190.0 22.8 30.0 58.2 115.0 18.6 * BA, Bahia State; PE, Pernambuco State.

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Porifera

Class: Demospongiae

Order: Verongiida

Family: Aplysinidae

Genus: Aplysina

Species: Aplysina cauliformis (Carter, 1882)