Anne Frijsinger & Mat Vestjens, Holland
Info
Carter, 1882
This Caribbean boring sponge occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean, here in water depths of over 6 meters.
The sponge is able to encrust areas of up to two meters, penetrating up to 2 cm deep into the coated substrate, e.g. in stony corals, which lose living tissue and die in the long term as the sponge cuts the coral off from light.
As the coral tissue is damaged by the acid of the drilling sponge, bacteria can penetrate and begin the decomposition process.
Colors: brown to dark green
This sponge can easily be confused with Cliona tenuis.
Boring sponges can only penetrate calcareous tissue, calcareous rock, coral skeletons and shells, and contribute to the erosion of coral reefs.
Synonym:
Cliona langae Pang, 1973
Note from Prof. Dr. Christine Schoenberg from 23.7.2024
"Looks more like Cliona aprica to me, because the color is so dark, and makes caribbaea more typical surfaces.
But even the experts argue about it, and even with skeletal analysis it's not easy.
So you can leave it as it is or rename it aprica, there is a 50:50% chance that it is correct or not.
Similar species in the Caribbean are Cliona acephala, caribbaea, tenuis and tumula".
This Caribbean boring sponge occurs in the Gulf of Mexico and in the warm tropical waters of the Caribbean, here in water depths of over 6 meters.
The sponge is able to encrust areas of up to two meters, penetrating up to 2 cm deep into the coated substrate, e.g. in stony corals, which lose living tissue and die in the long term as the sponge cuts the coral off from light.
As the coral tissue is damaged by the acid of the drilling sponge, bacteria can penetrate and begin the decomposition process.
Colors: brown to dark green
This sponge can easily be confused with Cliona tenuis.
Boring sponges can only penetrate calcareous tissue, calcareous rock, coral skeletons and shells, and contribute to the erosion of coral reefs.
Synonym:
Cliona langae Pang, 1973
Note from Prof. Dr. Christine Schoenberg from 23.7.2024
"Looks more like Cliona aprica to me, because the color is so dark, and makes caribbaea more typical surfaces.
But even the experts argue about it, and even with skeletal analysis it's not easy.
So you can leave it as it is or rename it aprica, there is a 50:50% chance that it is correct or not.
Similar species in the Caribbean are Cliona acephala, caribbaea, tenuis and tumula".
