A small yellowish or beige cushion-like sponge growing over algae and epifauna on rocks from the intertidal to deep waters. It is found at only three locations in Northern Ireland and is regarded everywhere as scarce.

In brief

• Found at the entrances to Strangford Lough, Carlingford Lough and The Gobbins, Islandmagee
• Habitat is areas of strong tidal flow, rocks overgrown with hydroids and weeds
• Found throughout the year
• Regarded as a species of conservation concern because of its scarcity
• Main threats are from fishing and coastal development.

Species description: This is a rounded or flattened pale yellow/beige cushion-like sponge that is usually found growing over other species like brown algae, hydroids or bryozoans that have an erect form, allowing the sponge access to the strong currents it favours. Where there is upright growth, the sponge generally takes on a cylindrical shape. Small specimens have a noticeable single respiratory pore, but larger ones may have several, scattered more or less randomly. Size may vary from 4-15mm diameter, depending also upon shape. The skeletal structures or spicules are long, slightly curved and needle-shaped.

Life cycle: Poecilosclerid sponges primarily reproduce sexually as simultaneous hermaphrodites with internal fertilization and viviparity (brooding embryos), though asexual processes like fragmentation also occurs.

Similar species: Could potentially be confused with many other sponge species and requires examination of the spicules to confirm its identity.

How to see this species: This species is found at only three locations in Northern Ireland - Strangford Lough and Carlingford Lough, and off the Gobbins. In the former it is recorded at several sites in the Narrows, in Carlingford off Blockhouse Island. All these are waters with strong tidal flows. It may be found growing on weeds, hydroids, bryozoans from the low levels of the intertidal to 200m depth in some areas. Elsewhere in Ireland it has been found in Clifden Bay, County Galway. It has also been recorded from Skye, Loch Etive, Devon, near Milford Haven, and having a predominantly northern distribution, in Scandinavia, Faroes, Iceland and Greenland.

Current status: In Northern Ireland, it is known from several sites in only three locations. The species has no legal protection.

Why is this species a priority in Northern Ireland? The species is regarded as scarce in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and in Britain, and it is likely that Northern Ireland holds the majority of Irish sites.

Threats: There is no information about the trends for population or range of this species. However, in some areas it is likely to be vulnerable to disruption of its habitat through the use of mobile bottom fishing gear. In more enclosed, shallow sites it is likely to be vulnerable to the effects of deteriorating water quality.

Action:

• Maintain the number of viable populations in Strangford and Carlingford Loughs and the Gobbins
• Maintain the range
• Monitor known populations, or a sample of these.
• Records of new sites for this species, with details of habitat and population are always valuable. Send these to CEDaR, National Museums Northern Ireland, 153 Bangor Road, Cultra, Holywood, County Down, BT18 0EU. Tel 028 9039 5257 or e-mail cedar.records@nationalmuseumsni.org, or via the online portal. You can also record observations including a photograph using iNaturalist, find the MBDP-NI iNaturalist project here.

Conservation: Strangford Lough is designated a Special Area for Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive.

There is no Species Action Plan for Amphilectus lobatus; however, the UK Habitat Action Plan for Inshore Sublittoral Rock contains the following provisions:

• maintain the extent and quality of inshore sublittoral rock habitats in the UK, including the full diversity of communities.

Measures to be considered further include:

• protecting sites of conservation importance from damage through contamination and physical disturbance (for example, turbidity and towed fishing gear)
• requiring EIAs for coastal developments to examine potential effects on intertidal and nearshore areas
• monitoring any impact of dump sites on inshore sublittoral rock habitats, communities and wildlife, and taking action as appropriate
• implementing strategies for managing the coastal zone at local, regional and national levels.

Distribution Map from NBN: Amphilectus ovulum at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Amphilectus ovulum at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Amphilectus ovulum at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Amphilectus ovulum (Schmidt, 1870). AphiaID: 1424119.

Literature:

Picton, B.E., Morrow, C.C. and van Soest, R.W.B. (2007). [In] Sponges of Britain and Ireland. http://www.habitas.org.uk/marinelife/sponges.asp?item=C5450.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Porifera; Demospongiae; Heteroscleromorpha; Poecilosclerida; Esperiopsidae; Amphilectus

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Allen & Mellon Environmental Ltd. (2026). Amphilectus ovulum. (Schmidt, 1870). [In] Priority species, Marine Biodiversity Portal NI. https://www2.habitas.org.uk/marbiop-ni/priorityaccounts.php?item=C5450. Accessed on 2026-07-28