A guide to the deep-water sponges of - NMFS Scientific Publications ...

102 Professional Paper NMFS 12
85. Amphilectus digitatus (Miklucho-Maclay, 1870)
Description. This species appears as described by
Koltun (1959) and may be massive-lobate, laminate,
dactylate, funnel-shaped, or vase-like, and usually has a
stalk. The surface is smooth. The consistency is elastic,
easily compressible, but difficult to tear. Vase-like forms
to 10 cm in height; funnel-shaped forms to more than
60 cm in diameter and 30 cm in height. Color in life is
light grey, creamy white, yellow or brown.
Skeletal structure. Spicules are styles (130–280 × 8–19
µm) and palmate isochelae (12–28 µm).
Zoogeographic distribution. Widespread and locally
common. In Alaska – central Aleutian Islands and eastern
Gulf of Alaska. Elsewhere – North Pacific Ocean
(Kamchatka Coast, Bering Sea, British Columbia), and
Arctic Ocean (Chukchi Sea and East Siberian Sea).
Habitat. In Alaska – central Aleutian Islands (attached
to pebbles at a depth of 100 m), eastern Gulf of Alaska
(attached to bedrock, boulders, and cobbles at depths
between 152 and 218 m). Elsewhere – reported at
depths between 9 and 291 m.
Photos. 1) Specimen collected at a depth of 100 m
in the central Aleutian Islands. Grid marks are 1 cm 2 .
2) Same specimen as in photo 1 in situ (center). 3)
Specimen collected at a depth of 165 m in the eastern
Gulf of Alaska. Grid marks are 1 cm 2 . 4) Same specimen
as in photo 3 in situ.