''Clathria dayi'', the broad-bladed tree sponge, is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
demosponge
Demosponges or common sponges are sponges of the class Demospongiae (from + ), the most diverse group in the phylum Porifera which include greater than 90% of all extant sponges with nearly 8,800 species
A species () is often de ...
.
[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] It is known from the west coast of South Africa and around Cape Point to False Bay. It is probably
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...
to this region.
Description
The broad-bladed tree sponge may grow to 20 cm in height and be 2–4 cm thick. It is a massive erect sponge, having broad flat blades extending from a small stalk. It has a slightly hairy texture, but is smooth in appearance. It is bright red in colour.
[Jones, Georgina. ''A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula.'' SURG, Cape Town, 2008. ]
Habitat
This sponge lives on rocky reefs in 15-272m of water.
References
Poecilosclerida
Sponges described in 1963
{{Demospongiae-stub