Terpios gelatinosa Bowerbank, 1866

Terpios gelatinosa

Description: This sponge forms very thin vivid dark blue encrustations. Oscules are not usually apparent, they are small and mostly scattered around the edges of the sponge.

Habitat: Frequently found beneath boulders in rapids and areas of strong water movement, both on shore and in shallow water.

Distribution: Fairly common on the south coast of England and in south Wales, scarce elsewhere but found on western and Irish Sea coasts as far north as Scotland.

Similar Species: The only other blue sponge likely to be encountered in the British Isles is Hymedesmia paupertas. This is sublittoral and has conspicuous pore-sieves.

Key Identification Features:

• Vivid dark blue sponge
• Very thin encrustation beneath boulders and in caves

Distribution Map: NBN map : National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

WoRMS: Species record : World Register of Marine Species.

iNaturalist: Species account : iNaturalist World Species Observations database