Notes: Small, tough but crumbly and mucosy cushions, with a yellow punctiform surface. Subsuperficial color is dark purple, some specimens thus appearing darker, especially after collecting; internal color cream. Different from Biemna caribea Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 and from B. cribaria (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986), both pictured here. Spicules are styles, 2-3 categories of sigmas, 2 categories of microxea, and raphides. It needs to be compared to Biemna trisigmata Mothes & Campos, 2004, from North Brazil, with which it shares many characters.
Biemna sp.-"yellow tough cushions"
Small, tough but crumbly and mucosy cushions, with a yellow punctiform surface. Subsuperficial color is dark purple, some specimens thus appearing darker, especially after collecting; internal color cream. Different from Biemna caribea Pulitzer-Finali, 1986 and from B. cribaria (Alcolado & Gotera, 1986), both pictured here. Spicules are styles, 2-3 categories of sigmas, 2 categories of microxea, and raphides. It needs to be compared to Biemna trisigmata Mothes & Campos, 2004, from North Brazil, with which it shares many characters. https://spongeguide.uncw.edu/speciesinfo.php?searchtype=0&species=160
Verified with spicules and DNA. Quite a range extension! TLT1389
This sponge was rare at this site.
<2m
This type of sponge occurred frequently at this site.
2-3m
Black Amphimedon Compressa. Black Rope Sponge washed up near the Hillsboro Lighthouse Inlet South jetty Beach. According to Wikipedia "The erect rope sponge, red tree sponge, red tubular sponge, or red sponge is a demosponge found in southern Florida, the Caribbean Sea, and the Bahamas. It can be deep red, orange, brown, or black".