Sycon ciliatum - Marine Life Encyclopedia

Sycon ciliatum (Fabricius, 1780)

Sycon ciliatum

Description: This sponge may be off-white, grey or brown in colour and consists of a single tubular structure with a hairy appearance. The tube is attached to the substratum at one end and open at the other. A crown of spicules surround the open end. There may be more than one species involved here.

Habitat: Mainly found on the shore, beneath overhangs or attached to seaweeds near low water. It is also common in the shallow sublittoral under a wide regime of physical conditions. Small individuals are also present in deeper water.

Distribution: Common on all coasts of the British Isles.

Similar Species: May be confused with Grantia compressa however this species is flattened not tubular, has a smooth surface and lacks the crown of spicules.

Key Identification Features:

Tubular sponge.
Hairy surface.
Crown of spicules.

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

Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Sycon ciliatum (Fabricius, 1780). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=C350 Accessed on 2024-10-07

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