APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Encrusting calcareous sponge sub-class calcaronea (unidentified) Penzance, Cornwall. 11.03.20. (Sponges)
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Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- on glass 1

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- on glass 2

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- close-up 1

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- 0.1mm division rule 1

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- 0.1mm division rule 2

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- glass sheet where found 1

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 1

Calcareous sponge
Sub-class calcaronea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 2

This potentially novel small 6mm wide specimen was found on a piece of glass that was trapped between rocks on the extreme lowershore at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall. 11.03.20.

The following species were found on the same piece of glass-

Hippothoa flagellum
Callopora lineata
Celleporella hyalina
Tubulipora sp.
Austrominius modestus
Verruca stroemia
Clava multicornis
Rosalina globularis
Halyphysema tumanowiczii
Spirobranchus lamarcki
Fabriciidae / Fabricia sp.?

Thank you to Michelle Klautau for determining the specimen belongs to the sub-class calcaronea. Sadly identification could not be taken further because of a lack of material and without microscopic images that provide details of the skeletal organisation of the spicules, which is so important in enabling identification to genus or species level.

I'll endeavor to find more and see if we can get the species identified or described next time around.

Encrusting calcareous sponge unidentified calcarea species from Penzance Cornwall UK Porifera Images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.