Flat leaf sponge

Flat leaf sponge
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Porifera
Class:	Demospongiae
Order:	Poecilosclerida
Family:	Isodictyidae
Genus:	Isodictya
Species:	I. grandis
Binomial name
	Isodictya grandis; (Ridley & Dendy, 1886)
Synonyms
	Desmacidon grandis (Ridley & Dendy, 1886); Homoeodictya grandis Ridley & Dendy, 1886;

The flat leaf sponge (Isodictya grandis) is a species of marine demosponge in the family Isodictyidae.^[1] This sponge is known from the west coast of South Africa to False Bay. It is endemic to this region.^[2]

Description

The flat leaf sponge may grow to 1 cm thick and 20 cm high. It is an erect, thin-bladed sponge, with the blades narrowing to points at the tips. Its texture is smooth but slightly hairy with small oscula on the blade edges. It is orange-red in colour.^[2]^[3]

Habitat

This sponge lives on rocky reefs from 15-37m.

References

^ http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=168459 accessed 19 November 2010
^ ^a ^b Samaai, T. and Gibbons, M.J. 2005. Demospongiae taxonomy and biodiversity of the Benguela region on the west coast of South Africa. Afr. Nat. Hist. 1(1):1-96
^ Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9

This article about a demosponge is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[WoRMS-1] ttp://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=168459 accessed 19 November 2010

[Samaai-2] Samaai, T. and Gibbons, M.J. 2005. Demospongiae taxonomy and biodiversity of the Benguela region on the west coast of South Africa. Afr. Nat. Hist. 1(1):1-96

[Jones_2008-3] Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9

[1]

[2]

[3]