''Neopetrosia subtriangularis'' 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 marine petrosiid

sponge Sponges or sea sponges are primarily marine invertebrates of the animal phylum Porifera (; meaning 'pore bearer'), a basal clade and a sister taxon of the diploblasts. They are sessile filter feeders that are bound to the seabed, and a ...

s native to the waters off

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

and the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere, located south of the Gulf of Mexico and southwest of the Sargasso Sea. It is bounded by the Greater Antilles to the north from Cuba ...

. They superficially resemble

staghorn coral The staghorn coral (''Acropora cervicornis'') is a branching, stony coral, within the Order Scleractinia. It is characterized by thick, upright branches which can grow in excess of 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height and resemble the antlers of a ...

Taxonomy

''Neopetrosia subtriangularis'' was originally described by the

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

Édouard Placide Duchassaing de Fontbressin Édouard Placide Duchassaing de Fontbressin (c. 1819 in Le Moule, Moule, Guadeloupe – 1873 in Périgueux) was a French naturalist. He is noted for his work in botany and spongiology. A native of Guadeloupe, he studied zoology, geology and med ...

in 1850 as ''Spongia subtriangularis''. It is classified under the

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

'' Neopetrosia'' of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Petrosiidae in the

order Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to: * A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica * Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood ...

Haplosclerida.

Description

''Neopetrosia subtriangularis'' superficially resemble the staghorn coral (''

Acropora cervicornis The staghorn coral (''Acropora cervicornis'') is a branching, stony coral, within the Order Scleractinia. It is characterized by thick, upright branches which can grow in excess of 2 meters (6.5 ft) in height and resemble the antlers of a s ...

'') in appearance. They form clusters of interconnecting solid branches that tend to sprawl along the substrate (repent), though these branches may sometimes be solitary (arising from a flattened base) and erect. The branches are brown, beige, yellow or orange in coloration on the external surfaces, though they may possess a greenish tinge. Internal surfaces are tan to off-white in coloration. They are usually around long and wide and may be laterally flattened. In the

Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...

, the individual branches tend to be wider, around , than in other areas where they average at . They are hard in consistency, but are brittle and easily break off. The surface of the branches are smooth and flat. The openings ( oscules) are round and in diameter, usually surrounded by a rim of paler colored (usually white or yellow) membrane. They may be located flush on the surface or elevated in small conical chimneys, around tall. They are distributed regularly on the upper surface of the branches, forming neat rows. Individual oscules may sometimes fuse together to form a crest. The

spicules Spicules are any of various small needle-like anatomical structures occurring in organisms Spicule may also refer to: *Spicule (sponge), small skeletal elements of sea sponges *Spicule (nematode), reproductive structures found in male nematodes ( ...

are curved cylinders, with pointed (oxea) or rounded (strongyloxea) tips at both ends.

Ecology

''Neopetrosia subtriangularis'' are found in shallow

reef A reef is a ridge or shoal of rock, coral, or similar relatively stable material lying beneath the surface of a natural body of water. Many reefs result from natural, abiotic component, abiotic (non-living) processes such as deposition (geol ...

s and

seagrass Seagrasses are the only flowering plants which grow in marine (ocean), marine environments. There are about 60 species of fully marine seagrasses which belong to four Family (biology), families (Posidoniaceae, Zosteraceae, Hydrocharitaceae and ...

beds at depths of greater than . Especially in the turbid waters of sand channels. They serve as

hosts A host is a person responsible for guests at an event or for providing hospitality during it. Host may also refer to: Places * Host, Pennsylvania, a village in Berks County * Host Island, in the Wilhelm Archipelago, Antarctica People * ...

of colonies of the

eusocial Eusociality ( Greek 'good' and social) is the highest level of organization of sociality. It is defined by the following characteristics: cooperative brood care (including care of offspring from other individuals), overlapping generations wit ...

snapping shrimp Alpheidae (also known as the snapping shrimp, pistol shrimp or alpheid shrimp) is a family within the shrimp infraorder Caridea characterized by having asymmetrical claws, the larger of which is typically capable of producing a loud snapping sou ...

in the genus ''

Synalpheus ''Synalpheus'' is a genus of snapping shrimp of the family Alpheidae, presently containing more than 160 species; new ones are described on a regular basis, and the exact number even of described species is disputed. Taxonomy Although the genus ...

''.

Distribution

''Neopetrosia subtriangularis'' is found off the east and west coasts of

, the

, and throughout the entire

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2343659 Haplosclerida Sponges described in 1850