A sponge (Polymastia boletiformis)
Polymastia boletiformis at Stoke Point, Plymouth.
Photographer: Keith Hiscock Copyright: Dr Keith Hiscock
Polymastia boletiformis at Sark.
Photographer: Paul Newland Copyright: Paul Newland
Polymastia boletiformis at Sark.
Photographer: Paul Newland Copyright: Paul Newland
Polymastia boletiformis.
Photographer: Keith Hiscock Copyright: Dr Keith Hiscock
A Polymastia boletiformis colony.
Photographer: Gordon Lang Copyright: Gordon Lang
Distribution data supplied by the Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS). To interrogate UK data visit the NBN Atlas.
| Researched by | Saskiya Richards | Refereed by | Admin |
| Authority | (Lamarck, 1815) | ||
| Other common names | - | Synonyms | - |
Summary
Description
Recorded distribution in Britain and Ireland
Polymastia boletiformis is widespread and locally common on the coasts of Britain and Ireland but has not been recorded from much of the east coast of England and Scotland.Global distribution
-Habitat
Polymastia boletiformis grows on the upper faces of rock in the sublittoral zone.Depth range
-Identifying features
- Cushion or massive sponge, up to 10 cm in diameter.
- Smooth surface with numerous papillae.
- Papillae 2-12 cm long, cylindrical and each bearing an oscula.
- Orange, ochre-yellow, dark grey or green in colour.
Additional information
This species has benthic larvae that are motile for 18-20 days before settling for up to 7 days, after which they metamorphose into the adult form. Polymastia boletiformis is similar to Polymastia mammillaris but the latter has a rough surface, and papillae that are paler in colour than the base and do not taper as sharply as those in Polymastia boletiformis.Listed by
- none -
Bibliography
Bergquist, P.R. 1978. Sponges. London: Hutchinson.
Centre for Environmental Data and Recording, 2018.Ulster Museum Marine Surveys of Northern Ireland Coastal Waters. Occurrence dataset https://www.nmni.com/CEDaR/CEDaR-Centre-for-Environmental-Data-and-Recording.aspx accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-09-25.
Costello, M.J., Bouchet, P., Boxshall, G., Emblow, C. & Vanden Berghe, E., 2004. European Register of Marine Species [On-line]. http://www.marbef.org/data/erms.php,
Crothers, J.H. (ed.), 1966. Dale Fort Marine Fauna. London: Field Studies Council.
Fenwick, 2018. Aphotomarine. Occurrence dataset http://www.aphotomarine.com/index.html Accessed via NBNAtlas.org on 2018-10-01
Foster-Smith, J. (ed.), 2000. The marine fauna and flora of the Cullercoats District. Marine species records for the North East Coast of England. Sunderland: Penshaw Press, for the Dove Marine Laboratory, University of Newcastle upon Tyne.
Gibson, R., Hextall, B. & Rogers, A., 2001. Photographic guide to the sea and seashore life of Britain and north-west Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Harrison, F.W. & Cowden, R.R., 1976. Aspects of sponge biology. Academic Press.
Hayward, P.J. & Ryland, J.S. (ed.) 1995b. Handbook of the marine fauna of North-West Europe. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Howson, C.M. & Picton, B.E., 1997. The species directory of the marine fauna and flora of the British Isles and surrounding seas. Belfast: Ulster Museum. [Ulster Museum publication, no. 276.]
Manx Biological Recording Partnership, 2018. Isle of Man historical wildlife records 1990 to 1994. Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/aru16v accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-01.
National Biodiversity Network (NBN) Atlas website. Available from: http://www.nbnatlas.org.
Picton, B.E. & Costello, M.J., 1998. BioMar biotope viewer: a guide to marine habitats, fauna and flora of Britain and Ireland. [CD-ROM] Environmental Sciences Unit, Trinity College, Dublin.
South East Wales Biodiversity Records Centre, 2018. SEWBReC Marine and other Aquatic Invertebrates (South East Wales). Occurrence dataset:https://doi.org/10.15468/zxy1n6 accessed via GBIF.org on 2018-10-02.
Citation
This review can be cited as:
Last Updated: 03/07/2008
