Polymastia rubens

Polymastia rubens is a species of sea sponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is only known from rocky subtidal habitats around Kawau Island off North Island, New Zealand.

Polymastia rubens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Polymastiida
Family: Polymastiidae
Genus: Polymastia
Species:
P. rubens
Binomial name
Polymastia rubens
Kelly-Borges & Bergquist, 1997

This is an encrusting sponge with a very firm texture, growing in patches up to 7 cm across. The outer layer is bright red with a brown interior. The surface is smooth apart from small wart-like papillae.

References

  • Michelle Kelly-Borges & Patricia R. Bergquist (1997). "Revision of Southwest Pacific Polymastiidae (Porifera: Demospongiae: Hadromerida) with descriptions of new species of Polymastia Bowerbank, Tylexocladus Topsent, and Acanthopolymastia gen. nov. from New Zealand and the Norfolk Ridge, New Caledonia" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research. 31 (3): 367–402. doi:10.1080/00288330.1997.9516772.


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