Description: This sponge is yellow, greenish-grey, light buff or brown. It usually has an upright form, it can occasionally be branching but there is normally a thick lamella, as though branches have been webbed together. There is often a small stalked base attached to the rock. Also reported as small cushions. There are oscules 0.5-1.5 mm in diameter, set in slight depressions. A few are scattered across the surface, with a closely spaced series of oscules at the outer edge of laminar specimens. There are no spicules, just a but a regular lattice of spongin fibres making up the skeleton.

Habitat: Usually on rock in deeper water and moderate to strong tidal streams. Also reported at the base of Posidonia (Mediterranean). Rather scarce.

Distribution: North Atlantic (Greenland, Shetland, Ireland, Azores); Mediterranean. Recently recorded from the Northern Irish coast (North Channel) and the Sound of Mull.

Similar Species: The form is somewhat reminiscent of some specimens of Axinella dissimilis with coalescent branches, or possibly Haliclona oculata. However, it is easily distinguished from these by its colour, elasticity and oscules, combining to give a distinctive "giz". In section, the lattice of spongin with no spicules is immediately diagnostic.

Key Identification Features:

• Usually upright, but may be branching or a small cushion.
• Usually has small stalked base.
• Oscules 0.5-1.5 mm in diameter scattered across surface.
• No spicules.

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

iNaturalist: Spongionella pulchella at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Spongionella pulchella

WoRMS: Spongionella pulchella at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Spongionella pulchella (Sowerby, 1804). AphiaID: 132335.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Porifera; Demospongiae; Keratosa; Dendroceratida; Dictyodendrillidae; Spongionella