Description: A firm white sponge forming irregularly shaped lumps. Its appearance is unlike other calcareous sponges. There are a few conspicuous oscules which have raised rims and are rather irregualrly placed on the sponge.

Habitat: On rock in shallow water amongst red algae in fairly exposed open coast sites.

Distribution: May be confined to SW England, rarely reported and possibly uncommon.

Key Identification Features:

• White irregular shaped lump
• Raised oscules
• Crisp texture and calcareous spicules

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

iNaturalist: Leucandra gossei at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Leucandra gossei at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Leucandra gossei gossei (Bowerbank, 1862). AphiaID: 1732855.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Porifera; Calcarea; Calcaronea; Leucosolenida; Grantiidae; Leucandra