Halichondria panicea - Marine Life Encyclopedia

Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766)

Halichondria panicea

Description: The form of this sponge can be very polymorphic, varying from thin sheets, massive forms and cushions to branching-repent forms. Prone to give off stout branching processes which develop into oscular chimneys. The colour is also variable, green in well-lit sites owing to the presence of algae and cream-yellow in more shaded sites. The surface of the sponge is usually smooth, often with a slightly glassy appearance.

Habitat: An opportunistic species found in a wide range of habitats from the mid-shore to the lower-circalittoral and under a wide variety of physical conditions.

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

Similar Species: This species can be difficult to identify in the field, however it does have a characteristic smell when fresh, once recognised this is a reliable character to use for field identification.

Key Identification Features:

Green colour.
Glassy appearance to surface.
Distinctive smell.

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). Halichondria panicea (Pallas, 1766). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=C4840 Accessed on 2024-09-15

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