Crella albula

(Bowerbank, 1866)

Species Overview

Crella albula (Bowerbank, 1866) is a very thinly encrusting whitish sponge with typical crellid spiculation, i.e. with a crust of spined spicules at the surface (microscopic examination). It is known from only a few records in the North Atlantic.

Taxonomic Description

Colour: White in the dried state.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Thin, small crusts on shells, not exceeding 1 cm in widest expansion. Surface smooth. Oscules (or pore fields) scattered.
Spicules: (Crella albula Burton) (Halichondria albula spics ) Megascleres : Tornotes style-like with a rounded and a pointed end, smooth, straight: 210-360 x 2-6 µm; ectosomal acanthostyles, some verging towards acanthoxeas, curved: 100-120 x 2-3 µm.
Microscleres : Arcuate isochelae: 18-28 µm.
Skeleton: Ectosomal : a tangential crust of acanthostyles. Choanosomal : irregular bundles of tornotes.
Ecology: 7-180 m
Distribution: Shetlands, Norway.
Etymology: Albulus (Latin) = whitish.
Type specimen information: The type is in the Natural History Museum, London: BMNH 1930:7:3:242 (Bk 651) (dry + slide).

Remarks

This is an ill-known species which apparently occurs over a great depth range in the Northern Atlantic.
Source: Arndt, 1935.