Black stink sponge explained

The black stink sponge (Ircinia arbuscula), is a species of sea sponge in the family Irciniidae.^[1] This sponge is known around the Australian coast and around South Africa from the Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas.^[2]

Description

The black stink sponge grows in crusts of 1–2 cm thick and 10–20 cm across. It is a black encrusting sponge which forms a mat on rocks. Its surface is textured, and the sponge is firm and slippery to touch. Its oscula are inconspicuous. When collected, the smell is distinctive.^[3]

Habitat

This sponge lives on rocky reefs subtidally down to 180m.

Notes and References

1. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Ircinia arbuscula (Hyatt, 1877) . www.marinespecies.org . 25 November 2010.
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
3. Jones, Georgina. A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. SURG, Cape Town, 2008.