65
Order Axinellida
Family Axinellidae
Axinella sp.
COLOUR: yellow-orange
TEXTURE AND SURAFCE: e l a s t i c , c o m p r e s s i b l e , fleshy surface
DIMENSIONS: stands up to 9cm high
DESCRIPTION: the sponge is raised on a short pedicel from which s h o r t ,
stumpy fingers a r i s e .
joined together
OCCURRENCE: Raphoxya G a r d e n , common
Fingers are blunt ended and often
Axinella sp.
COLOUR: orange
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: flexible fingers with stiff internal a x i s , hispid
feel
DIMENSIONS: stands up to 35cm h i g h , fingers 1.0cm
in diameter
DESCRIPTION: fingers flattened in one plane and orientation of fingers
into a fan at right angles to the c u r r e n t .
short.
Stipe always
In the photograph to the right of Axinell a sp.
is a small Raspailia topsenti and two Aaptos a a p t o s .
OCCURRENCE: abundant in Sponge Garden and Raphoxya Garden
Pararaphoxya pulchra (Br^ndsted) 1923
COLOUR: orange
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: f l e x i b l e , hispid and pitted surface
DIMENSIONS: up to 20cm h i g h , fingers 1.0cm diameter
DESCRIPTION: fingers bifurcated and r o u n d e d . Oscules form stellate
patterns on the fingers.
Stipe short and thick.
foreground of the picture is a Cinachyr a sp.
OCCURRENCE: Sponge G a r d e n , abundant
In the
72
Raphoxy a (Acanthell a) cactiformi s Carter 1881
COLOUR: bright red
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: s t i f f , fleshy surface
DIMENSIONS: stands up to 20cm h i g h , fan 3cm thick and 25cm wide
DESCRIPTION: fan raised on a short p e d i c e l , surface raised into firm
conules
OCCURRENCE; Raphoxya G a r d e n , abundant
69
Pseudaxinella australis Bergquist 1970
COLOUR: orange-red
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: c o m p r e s s i b l e , slimy surface
DIMENSIONS: can cover an area of 2 5 x 2 5 c m , up to 2cm in height
DESCRIPTION: produces lots of m u c u s .
In the photograph acn be seen
individual columns of spongin fibres
OCCURRENCE: Sponge G a r d e n , Sediment F l a t s , Raphoxya G a r d e n , moderately
common
YO
Family Desmoxyidae
Acanthoclada prostrat a Bergquist 1970
COLOUR: yellow-orange
TEXTURE AND SURAFCE: s o f t , slimy
2
DIMENSIONS: a thin covering of 0.5cm thickness and up to 100cm
area
DESCRIPTION: surface raised in small peaks where the spongin columns
end.
Produces m u c u s .
two fingered Raspailia
Also shown in the photograph is a
topsent i.
OCCURRENCE: Sponge G a r d e n , Raphoxya G a r d e n , n o t common
71
Family Sigmaxinellidae
Biemn a
sp.
COLOUR: purple s u r f a c e , dirty y e l l o w internally
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: soft and v e l v e t like
DIMENSIONS: p a t c h e s up to 2 0 x 2 0 c m , sponge 2cm thick
D E S C R I P T I O N : this species grows in sandy areas and o f t e n the only
evidence of its p r e s e n c e are the p r o t r u d i n g oscular
turrets.
Also in the p h o t o g r a p h is an A a p t o s a a p t o s .
OCCURRENCE: Sponge G a r d e n , R a p h o x y a G a r d e n , W a t e r f a l l R e e f , S e d i m e n t Flats
100p
si g m a s
Co
.
i
50)J
microxeas^
—
i—i—i
50JJ
T.S. n u m b e r
of spicules
y much
\7\ reduced
in fig.
Family Raspailiidae
Raspailia agminata Hallmann 1914
COLOUR: dark brown e x t e r n a l l y , yellow-brown
inside
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: very s o f t , hispid and lumpy surface
DIMENSIONS: covers large areas up to 3 0 x 3 0 c m , 2-3cm thick
DESCRIPTION: long protruding spicules give the sponge a silvery appearance
OCCURRENCE: Deep R e e f , Waterfall Reef out on the flats,common
l L_J
100 jj
a cant h o sly I e
100p
Raspailia topsenti Dendy 1924
COLOUR: orange
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: flexible and s o f t , m i n u t e l y hispid
DIMENSIONS: stands up to 30cm h i g h , fingers up to 2cm in diameter
DESCRIPTION: fingers blunt ended and r o u n d , sponge raised on a small pedicel
OCCURRENCE: Sponge G a r d e n , Sediment F l a t s , Outer Waterfall R e e f , Raphoxya
G a r d e n , Deep R e e f , common
raphides
_ _ _ _ _ _ _
_
Eurypon hispid a Bergquist 1970
COLOUR: red and orange colours
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: hispid with long projecting spicules
2
DIMENSIONS: very t h i n , 0.5cm or l e s s , patches up to 12cm
DESCRIPTION: this species lives under the sand and is almost transparent
OCCURRENCE: abundant in the Sponge G a r d e n , Sediment Flats
7 4
75
Eurypon sp.
COLOUR: red
TEXTURE AND SURFACE: f i r m , hispid
DIMENSIONS: t h i n , 0.5cm or l e s s , covers areas up to lOxlOcm
DESCRIPTION: stellate oscule pattern
OCCURRENCE: Deep Reef