Kingdom Animalia Order Polymastiida Genus Polymastia Higher classification Polymastia | Phylum Porifera Family Polymastiidae Scientific name Polymastia umbraculum Rank Species | |
Similar Polymastia, Demosponge, Sponge | ||
Polymastia umbraculum is a species of demosponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is only known from rocky subtidal habitats around Kawau Island off the North Island of New Zealand.
This is a thickly encrusting sponge with a very firm texture, growing in loosely attached patches up to 7 cm across. The granular outer layer is brilliant yellow-orange with a rather darker interior carrying many symbiont foraminifera. It is often infested with the parasitic amphipod Polycheria antarctica.
References
Polymastia umbraculum Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA