Description: This sponge usually consists of smoothly rounded lobes with large irregular oscules. It is typically orange or red in colour, brighter red in well-lit shallow water and paler in darker or siltier sites. Forms encrusting scallop shells may belong to distinct species, they tend to form smooth crusts with evenly spaced small oscules.

Habitat: Attached to rock in exposed sites and loose-lying amongst algae in sheltered sites.

Distribution: Common and widespread around the British Isles.

Key Identification Features:

• Smooth even surface
• lobed appearnce with large irregular oscules

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

iNaturalist: Suberites ficus at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Suberites ficus at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Suberites ficus (Johnston, 1842). AphiaID: 134285.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Porifera; Demospongiae; Heteroscleromorpha; Suberitida; Suberitidae; Suberites