Oscarella sp. A - Marine Life Encyclopedia

Oscarella sp. A .

Oscarella sp. A

Description: A very soft and fragile encrusting sponge covered with bubble-like projections. The colour may be pale yellow, beige, or orange sometimes with red pigment on sufaces exposed to light or in shallow water. Recent work by Boury-Esnault et al., has shown Oscarella lobularis to be distinct species.

Habitat: This species has been reported from the littoral zone to over 300 m depth. It is most frequently found in sheltered areas with moderately strong tidal streams attached to bedrock or boulders. It is sometimes found in sheltered conditions with little current or wave action e.g. Summer Isles and is abundant on fully exposed rock faces at St. Kilda.

Distribution: A common species in the British Isles.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with other species, but a number of similar species occur in the Mediterranean.

Key Identification Features:

Soft texture
Bubble-like projections on surface.

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). Oscarella sp. A .. [In] Encyclopedia of Marine Life of Britain and Ireland.
https://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/species.asp?item=C960 Accessed on 2023-12-11

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