Demospongiae |
Poecilosclerida |
Mycalidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Reef-associated; brackish; depth range 5 - 20 m (Ref. 108813). Tropical; 25°C - 33°C (Ref. 86836)
Western Central Atlantic: Caribbean wide.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 10.0 cm BRW male/unsexed; (Ref. 415)
Thin or thick encrustations. Surface is smooth and porous, covered by a transparent membrane. When substrate is overturned, distinct canals converging on oscules are visible. Round oscules, found along the outer edge of the surface; elevated by a tall transparent collar membrane with fine parallel lines. Orange-yellow externally, lighter internally (Ref. 415); specimens may be white in dark habitats. Canals and oscular membrane whitish to transparent. Fragile. Easily torn, spicule tracts may be slightly tough. Exudate absent (Ref. 85482).
It is an epibiotic species found on hard substrates (Ref. 108813). In reefs, encrusting the undersides of corals. Occasionally in mangroves where it can grow to record size (Ref. 415). Lines the edges of plate-like or overhanging stony coral colonies (Ref. 85482).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Demospongiae are hermaphroditic. Life cycle: The zygote develops into parenchymella larva (free-swimming) before settling down on a substrate where it grows into a young sponge.
Collin, R., M.C. Díaz, J. Norenburg, R.M. Rocha, J.A. Sánchez, M. Schulze, A. Schwartz and A. Valdés. 2005. (Ref. 415)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood itemsDiet compositionFood consumptionFood rationsPredators Population dynamicsGrowth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Recruitment
Abundance
Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvaeLarval dynamics Human RelatedAquaculture profiles
Stamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 26.2 - 28.3, mean 27.5 (based on 416 cells).
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.