Polymastia mamillaris

White tit-sponge

   Polymastia mamillaris is a sponge with a hemispherical base reaching 10 to 20 cm in diameter. The base is often covered with sand or mud from which emerge many flattened outgrowths up to 3 cm in height and 3 to 5 mm in diameter. The base is dirty yellow and the outgrowths are clearer and slightly translucent. It lives on rocks near sandy bottoms and bear algae or benthic animals on its body.
It is found in the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea.

Close species :

 Polymastia mamillaris is a sponge similar in size and form to Polymastia boletiformis. However the outgrowths of the latter have a larger diameter and a conical shape, and its colour is yellow orange.

Classification

 (source: European Register of Marine Species)

• Porifera [Phylum]
• Demospongiae [Class]
• Hadromerida [Order]
• Polymastiidae [Family]
• Polymastia mamillaris (Müller, 1806)

Page glossary

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Authors

Top photograph :
© Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat. Published with author's kind permission : 
Polymastia mamillaris, Iles Glénan, South-Brittany, West of France. Depth 14 meters.
Text :  Wilfried Bay-Nouailhat © 2004-2010.
Translation :  Anne Bay-Nouailhat © 2007-2010.

How to cite this page in publications

Bay-Nouailhat W., April 2004, Description of Polymastia mamillaris, Available on line at http://www.european-marine-life.org/02/polymastia-mamillaris.php, consulted on 09 February 2010.
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