Demospongiae |
Haplosclerida |
Niphatidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Reef-associated; brackish; depth range 0 - 100 m (Ref. 101942). Subtropical
Western Atlantic and Western Central Pacific.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 2.0 cm BRW male/unsexed; (Ref. 415)
Ramose to massive-encrusting. Branches: 1 - 2 cm wide. Light grayish, pink or purple, externally, lighter internally. Surface from smooth to extremely spiny, with or without zooanthids. Oscules: 0.2 - 0.7 cm in diameter. Spongy but tough in consistency (Ref. 415).
At Bocas, common both in the reef and in the mangroves (Ref. 415). Commensal with amphipods (Ref. 82302, 86735). Inhabits coralline algae reef, algal nodules, and lower mesophotic reefs (Ref. 128739).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Demospongiae are hermaphroditic. Life cycle: The zygote develops into parenchymella larva (free-swimming) before settling down on a substrate where it grows into a young sponge.
Collin, R., M.C. Díaz, J. Norenburg, R.M. Rocha, J.A. Sánchez, M. Schulze, A. Schwartz and A. Valdés 2005 Photographic identification guide to some common marine invertebrates of Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Caribbean Journal of Science. 41(3):638-707. (Ref. 415)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowthMax. ages / sizesLength-weight rel.Length-length rel.Length-frequenciesMass conversionAbundance Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 14.7 - 28.6, mean 26.1 (based on 1344 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.