| PORIFERA : POECILOSCLERIDA : Hymedesmiidae | SPONGES |
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| Hymedesmia paupertas |
Description: This sponge grows as a small thin sheet, typically in patches of only 1-2cm in diameter. The colony usually has a very irregular outline, giving the appearance of several separate patches. The colour of this sponge is a very distinctive bright blue or green. The surface has small pore sieves, similar to Hemimycale columella.
Habitat: This species is most commonly found on lower circalittoral bedrock or boulders in sheltered or moderately exposed sites.
Distribution: Known recently from scattered sites on the south-west, west, and northern coasts of Ireland, and also western Scotland.
Similar Species: The combination of pore sieves and bright blue or green colour seems to be characteristic of this species. Terpios fugax is also a blue encrusting sponge, normally found in the littoral or shallow sublittoral, however this species lacks pore sieves.
Key Identification Features:
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
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| Picton, B.E. & Morrow, C.C. (2016). Hymedesmia paupertas (Bowerbank, 1866). [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland. https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=C7250 Accessed on 2024-12-02 |
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