General Description

Spherical sponges. Surface texture may be smooth or warty. Colours vary, including orange, yellow, red and pink. Diameter ranges from less than 1 cm to over 6 cm.

Biology

Sponges in the genus Tethya often exhibit budding propagules, a form of asexual reproduction whereby the parent sponge produces a stalk of spicules (small pointy structural elements found in the body wall of sponges) at its surface, which ends in a bud that detaches and floats away to become a separate individual. Almost a third of the world's known species of Tethya occur in Australia with 15 species found in southern Australia. This is the only genus of this family group to be found in Australian waters, the other species are in tropical areas and have been recorded up to depths of 2000 m.

Distribution

Victoria.

Habitat

Reef and jetty areas, at depths of 3-30 m.

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