Neopetrosia proxima (Duchassaing & Michelotti, 1864)
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Family:  Petrosiidae ()
Max. size:  4 cm OT (male/unsexed)
Environment:  sessile; brackish; marine; depth range 53 - 60 m
Distribution:  Western Atlantic.
Diagnosis:  Thick crusts: 1 - 4 cm in thickness, or sprawling masses with lobes. Color red-brown to pink externally and tan to yellowish internally. Oscules: 0.3 - 1 cm in diameter. Smooth surface, sometimes with zoanthids. Hard and fragile in consistency (Ref. 415). Porous surface, rugged with narrow conical to flattened protuberances. Dark greenish brown exteriorly, cream interior. Adhesive mucus exudate when animal is cut and touched. Flush oscules slightly elevated (Ref. 85482).
Biology:  Maximum body thickness: 4 cm (Ref. 415). Common on sand and hard bottoms (Ref. 85482) of reef environments, coral rubble and seagrass beds (Ref. 415). Also found in mangroves (Ref. 86836). It hosts alpheid shrimps in its canals (Ref. 86626). Inhabits shallow rocky shores and reefs, deep reef habitats, caves, coralline algae reefs, and silted lower mesophotic reefs (Ref. 128739).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. 123251)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:   
 

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