Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Irciniidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Reef-associated; brackish; depth range 3 - 79 m (Ref. 108813). Tropical
Western Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 0.5 cm H male/unsexed; (Ref. 415)
Vase shaped. Reddish brown externally, tan internally. Oscules: 0.1 - 0.5 cm wide, only on the inner side. Surface conulose: 0.1 - 0.5 cm high; 2 - 9 m apart. Compressible in consistency, tough to cut (Ref. 415). May also be cup- or bowl-shaped; cylindrical forms rather than widening upward possible. Cup sides may be of unequal heights. Conules on the inner surface of the cup distinctly lower and crowded. Weak to well-developed vertical ribs or ridges on outer surface possible, surface may appear almost smooth. Rubbery. Exudate absent (Ref. 85482).
Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128739. Rare on mangroves (Ref. 415), but common on shallow hard grounds, seagrass beds, and inshore reefs (Ref. 85482). Inhabits seagrass meadows, coralline algae reefs and lower mesophotic reefs (Ref. 128739).
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)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 23.6 - 28.2, mean 27 (based on 525 cells).
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.