A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...
- No tags were found...
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
77. Asbes<strong>to</strong>pluma ramosa Koltun, 1958<br />
Description. This sponge is flagelliform. This species<br />
appears as described by Koltun (1959) and <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
consists <strong>of</strong> numerous more or less cylindrical branches<br />
diverging from one point and arranged in one plane.<br />
We have observed up <strong>to</strong> five branches that diverge at<br />
multiple points, however. Branches may be bent or<br />
slightly curved. Occasionally <strong>the</strong> sponge is markedly<br />
elongated and has a ramified, stalk-like appearance<br />
with many closely spaced fine projections (according <strong>to</strong><br />
Koltun). Height is <strong>to</strong> at least 72 cm with branches up <strong>to</strong><br />
1.5 cm thick. Color in life is light yellow, light orange,<br />
or creamy white; <strong>the</strong> lower portion is <strong>of</strong>ten devoid <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> fine lateral projections and consequently a darker<br />
color, <strong>of</strong>ten brown.<br />
Skeletal structure. Styles are arranged in a central<br />
axis with side-tracts running in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> lateral projections;<br />
styles are 238–1500 × 7–18 µm and anisochelae<br />
are 10–17 µm.<br />
Zoogeographic distribution. Widespread and locally<br />
abundant. In Alaska – central Aleutian Islands, eastern<br />
Gulf <strong>of</strong> Alaska (near <strong>the</strong> Fairwea<strong>the</strong>r Ground). Elsewhere<br />
– North Pacific Ocean (Kuril Islands, Vancouver<br />
Island), Arctic Ocean (Southwest Barents Sea, Kara<br />
Sea – Vilkitsky Strait, Laptev Sea – Shokalsky Strait, East<br />
Siberian Sea, Greenland Sea, and Baffin Bay), and<br />
North Atlantic Ocean (Faroe Islands).<br />
Habitat. In Alaska – attached with a holdfast <strong>to</strong> bedrock,<br />
muds<strong>to</strong>ne, boulders, cobbles, and occasionally<br />
hexactinellid sponge skele<strong>to</strong>ns at depths between 395<br />
and 1812 m; more abundant at depths shallower than<br />
1200 m. Elsewhere – reported on ooze and sandy-ooze<br />
bot<strong>to</strong>ms at depths between 41 and 1134 m and temperatures<br />
<strong>of</strong> 1.64 <strong>to</strong> 4.8°C.<br />
Remarks. This species occasionally has ophiuroid associates<br />
particularly at depths shallower than 500 m. It<br />
occurs within <strong>the</strong> same depth range as Esperiopsis flagrum<br />
but attaches <strong>to</strong> hard substrate ra<strong>the</strong>r than anchoring in<br />
s<strong>of</strong>t sediment. A. ramosa may have a carnivorous feeding<br />
habit like o<strong>the</strong>r Cladorhizidae so collected specimens<br />
may have small crustaceans trapped in <strong>the</strong>ir outer tissues.<br />
Pho<strong>to</strong>s. 1) Specimen collected at a depth <strong>of</strong> 1715 m<br />
in <strong>the</strong> central Aleutian Islands. Grid marks are 1 cm 2 .<br />
2) Specimen collected at a depth <strong>of</strong> 1501 m in <strong>the</strong><br />
eastern Gulf <strong>of</strong> Alaska. 3) Specimen observed in situ<br />
at a depth <strong>of</strong> 843 m in <strong>the</strong> central Aleutian Islands. 4)<br />
Close-up view <strong>of</strong> same specimen as in pho<strong>to</strong> 3 showing<br />
detail <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> closely spaced fine projections.<br />
93