Eurypon coronula

(Bowerbank, 1874)

Species Overview

Eurypon coronula (Bowerbank, 1874) is a thinly ecrusting, orange-yellow, hairy sponge, recorded from deep water. It has characteristic spiculation (microscopic examination).

Taxonomic Description

Colour: Orange-yellow.
Shape, size, surface and consistency: Thinly encrusting. Size up to 2.5 cm in lateral expansion. Surface hispid, hairy. Consistency soft and slimy.
Spicules: (Eurypon coronula spics) Smooth tylostyles with pronounced heads: 600-1200 µm; acanthostyles, entirely spined, with spiky thorns at the head arranged in two whorls, like a crown: 250 µm. Apparently there are no special ectosomal spicules.
Skeleton: Spicules arranged perpendicular to the substrate, heads down.
Ecology: On pebbles, from 60 m downwards.
Distribution: Shetlands, Norway, Arctic, Roscoff.
Etymology: The name refers to the condition of the acanthostyles.
Type specimen information: The type is in the Natural History Museum, London: BMNH 1910.1.1.84 (dry) + BMNH 1910.1.1.2321 (slide). Norman Collection.

Remarks

The whorls of spines on the acanthostyles make this an easily recognizable sponge.
Source: Arndt, 1935 (as Hymedesmia ).