Halichondria panicea

Taxobox


image_width = 250px
name = "Halichondria panicea"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Porifera
classis = Demospongiae
ordo = Halichondrida
familia = Halichondriidae
genus = "Halichondria"
species = "H. panicea"
binomial = "Halichondria panicea"
binomial_authority = Pallas, 1766 [ [http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.php?p=taxdetails&id=132627 Taxon page in World Porifera Database] ]

"Halichondria panicea", commonly known as the breadcrumb sponge, is a species of marine demosponge belonging to the family Halichondriidae. This is an abundant sponge of coastal areas of the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea ranging from the intertidal zone to a recorded depth of over 550 m. It is very tolerant of a wide range of coastal habitats, including strong currents, high salinity and exposure to powerful wave action. Its only requirement is a rocky substrate which can include small cobbles.

Morphology

"Halichondria panicea" occurs in a very wide range of forms and can be difficult to identify. Some forms have a granular surface which gives rise to the common name but sometimes the surface is smooth, even glassy. The surface is often marked with pores (osculae) which can extend into tubular "chimneys" in wave-sheltered habitats. The overall form is determined largely by the habitat: wave-exposed forms usually form thin widespread sheets but wave-sheltered forms often form massive encrustations up to 20 cm thick. This diversity has led to its being described as a new species 56 times. [ [http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=42964 IPS News article] ]

The colour is also variable. The "natural" colour is cream or grey: this is usually found in specimens from relatively deep water. However at shallower depths, the sponge is usually green due to symbiotic algae which live close to the surface of the sponge. At intermediate depths the sponge tends to be green in summer, cream or grey in winter. It smells like "exploded gunpowder". [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7473707.stm] Register clears out 'fishy' names]

Biology

"Halichondria panicea" is a suspension feeder feeding mainly on phytoplankton. For such a common species, relatively little is known about its reproduction: It appears to be a hermaphrodite and oogenesis has been reported as occurring in a very narrow timeband within a single population although exceptions have been observed.

Others names [http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2008/06/ocean_census_reveals_the_beast.html]

#"Halichondria panicea" Pallas, 1766
#"Halina panicea" Pallas, 1766
#"Spongia panicea" Pallas, 1766
#"Spongia tomentosa" Linnaeus, 1767
#"Spongia cristata" Ellis & Solander, 1786
#"Spongia tubulosa" Ellis & Solander, 1786
#"Spongia urens" Ellis & Solander, 1786
#"Halichondria papillaris" Linnaeus, 1791
#"Alcyonium manusdiaboli sensu" Esper, 1794
#"Spongia compacta" Sowerby, 1806
#"Alcyonium medullare" Lamarck, 1815
#"Halichondria albescens" Rafinesque, 1818
#"Seriatula seriata" Grant, 1826
#"Spongia seriata" Grant, 1826
#"Halichondria sevosa" Johnston, 1842
#"Halichondria reticulata" Lieberkühn, 1859
#"Halichondria coccinea" Bowerbank, 1861
#"Hymeniacidon coccinea" Bowerbank, 1861
#"Halichondria brettii" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon brettii" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon fallaciosus" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Halichondria caduca" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Halichondria glabra" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Halichondria incerta" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Halichondria lactea" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Halichondria membrana" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon fragilis" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon lactea" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon membrana" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon thomasii" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Hymeniacidon parfitti" Parfitt, 1868
#"Hymeniacidon reticulatus" Bowerbank, 1866
#"Pellina bibula" Schmidt, 1870
#"Spuma borealis" var. "convoluta" Miklucho-Maclay, 1870
#"Spuma borealis" var. "tuberosa" Miklucho-Maclay, 1870
#"Spuma borealis" var. "velamentosa" Miklucho-Maclay, 1870
#"Halichondria ambigua" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Halichondria edusa" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Halichondria firmus" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Halichondria pannosus" Verrill, 1874
#"Hymeniacidon firmus" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Hymeniacidon solida" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Hymeniacidon tegeticula" Bowerbank, 1874
#"Amorphina appendiculata" Schmidt, 1875
#"Halichondria paciscens" Schmidt, 1875
#"Amorphina paciscens" Schmidt, 1875
#"Halichondria coralloides" Bowerbank, 1882
#"Isodictya crassa" Bowerbank, 1882
#"Isodictya perplexa" Bowerbank, 1882
#"Microciona tumulosa" Bowerbank, 1882
#"Amorphina grisea" Fristedt, 1887
#"Halichondria grisea" Fristedt, 1887
#"Menanetia minchini" Topsent, 1896
#"Halichondriella corticata" Burton, 1931
#"Trachyopsilla glaberrima" Burton, 1931
#"Halichondria topsenti" de Laubenfels, 1936

References