(Esper, 1794)

Species Overview

Axinella verrucosa (Esper, 1794) is an erect-branching sponge with anastomosed cylindrical branches, very variable in form. It was originally described from the Mediterranean, but subsequently reported from Roscoff.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Ochre yellow.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Arborescent (Spongia verrucosa), quite variable in shape (Axinella verrucosa Pansini), occasionally club-shaped, with cylindrical branches. Surface grooved and hispid (Axinella verrucosa Vos). Size up to 10 cm high, branches up to 1 cm in diameter. Consistency stiffly spongy.
Spicules: (Axinella verrucosa spics) Oxeas and styles. Styles, often modified to tylostyles: 520-900 µm. Oxeas are generally curved, but bent and even flexuous ones do occur. Stepped ends are very frequent and transformation to strongyles occur; occasionally there are centrotylotes: 450-730 x 7-17 µm.
Skeleton: Axially condensed with oxeas concentrated in the axial skeleton.
Ecology: On cliffs and on pebble bottom, 10-74 m
Distribution: Roscoff; Mediterranean.
Etymology: The name refers to the irregular surface.
Type specimen information: Type probably lost.

Remarks

This species may be confused with Axinella damicornis. The following table (from Ackers et al., 1992) may help to focus on differentiating characters: A. verrucosa & A. damicornis.
Source: Pansini, 1983.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Porifera
Class Demospongiae
Order Halichondrida
Family Axinellidae
Genus Axinella
Species Axinella verrucosa

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Synonym of Axinella brondstedi Bergquist, 1970

Scientific synonyms and common names

Spongia verrucosa n.sp. Esper, 1791-1794: 275
Axinella verrucosa: Cabioch, 1968: 218; Borojevic et al., 1968: 10; Pansini, 1983: 92, figs. 9-10, pl. II.

Borojevic, R., L. Cabioch and C. Lévi, 1968. Spongiaires. Inventaire Faune Marine de Roscoff. 44 pp.

Cabioch, L.,1968. Contribution à la connaissance de la faune des spongiaires de la Manche occidentale. Démosponges de la région de Roscoff. Cah. Biol. mar., 9: 211-246.

Esper, J.C., 1791-1794. Die Pflanzenthieren in Abbildungen nach der Natur mit Farben erleuchtet, nebst Beschreibungen, 2: 1-303, pls. 1-109 (sponges: 165-180, 221-282)

Pansini, M., 1983. Notes on some Mediterranean Axinella with description of two new species. Boll. Mus. Ist. Biol. Univ. Genova, 50-51: 79-98.

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