Red beard sponge : Microciona prolifera


Kingdom : Animal
   Phylum : Porifera
          Class : Demospongiae
               Order : Halichondrina
                    Family : Poecloscleridae
                         Genus : Microciona
                              Species : prolifera

Description:

Red beard sponge, Photo by David Byres

The red beard sponge is 20 cm in height, orange-red in color, and has Spinose styles.

They incrust shells and pilings, forming dense clusters of fingerlike lobes.

Most inhabit sub-tidal, shallow areas.




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