Grantia compressa (Fabricius, 1780)

Description: This sponge is usually white to cream in colour but occasionally pale brown individuals occur. It is flat, like a small hot water bottle and open at one end, it may also be tubular, or composed of contorted flat lobes, with a very short stalk. The surface of the sponge is smooth and clean.

Habitat: Usually found on the low shore beneath overhangs, but is also common in the shallow sublittoral attached to kelp stipes or other algae.

Distribution: A common species on all coasts of the British Isles.

Similar Species: This species may be confused with Scypha ciliata which is also whitish in colour and tubular, however in S. ciliata the surface is hairy and there is a crown of spicules around the open end of the tube.

Key Identification Features:

• Flattened , tubular sponge, open at one end.

Distribution Map from BioMar data for Ireland - Google Earth map:  download this placemark (not got Google Earth installed?)

Distribution Map from NBN: JNCC MNCR Seasearch data - Grid map : Interactive map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.