''Tethya aurantium'', also known as the golf ball sponge or orange puffball sponge, is a
species of
sea sponge belonging to the
family Tethyidae.
It is spherical in shape, with a warty surface, and grows to about 10 cm in diameter.
Oscula
''Oscula'' is a genus of shield bugs belonging to the family Plataspidae
Plataspidae (Emendation (taxonomy), emended by some later authors as "Plataspididae", in violation of International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, ICZN Code Article 29.5 ...
are present on the upper surface. The surface has sharp protruding spicules which can cause skin irritation if touched.
It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and North Eastern Atlantic Ocean,
and from southern
Namibia round the southern African coast to
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...
, usually on shallow reefs.
[Branch, G.M., Branch, M.L, Griffiths, C.L. and Beckley, L.E. 2010. ''Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa'' ]
It was first described by
Peter Simon Pallas in 1766 as ''Alcyonium aurantium.''
References
Hadromerida
Animals described in 1766
Taxa named by Peter Simon Pallas
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