Red Cup Sponge (Mycale sp.) and Feather Hydroids (Sertularella speciosa) on a Black Coral Tree (Antipathes sp.).
Bloody Bay, Little Cayman Island - Depth 100 feet or 30 meters
Red Cup Sponge (Mycale sp.) and Feather Hydroids (Sertularella
speciosa) on a Black Coral Tree (Antipathes sp.).
Bloody Bay, Little Cayman Island - Depth 100 feet or 30 meters
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| * The above image shows portion of an
unusually rich marine habitat. We found the Red Cup Sponge (Mycale sp.)
clearly making the transition from cup form to encrusting form, and
sharing the environment with
white Feather Hydroids (Sertularella
speciosa), and a few examples scattered here and there of smaller
Hydroids, perhaps (Cnidoscyphus marginatus). The mass of
the sponge was attached to a large Black Coral Tree (Antipathes sp.),
and nearly surrounded by a complicated conglomeration of the Red Rope Sponge (Haliclona
rubiginosa). The pale yellow sponge in the upper center is
probably (Ulosa hispida). In the osculum of the Cup Sponge can
be seen a few arms of Brittlestars, (Ophiothrix sp.). The dots of
white are the entrances to the tubes of unidentified Serpulid
Worms. Bloody Bay, Little Cayman Island - Depth 100 feet or 30 meters - Time 11:00 am |
