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

78 Professional Paper NMFS 12
62. Crella brunnea (Hansen, 1885)
Description. This sponge is polymorphic; may be tabular,
irregularly compressed, occasionally massive-lobate
or markedly lobate with an uneven, corrugated surface.
The dermal membrane is thinly pellicular. Oscula are
not visible on the surface. Dimensions are to 7 cm. Color
in life is light to dark brown.
Skeletal structure. Ectosomal tornotes have 2–4
pointed “teeth” at the ends (150–290 × 4–7 µm). There
are choanosomal acanthostyles to acanthostrongyles
(210–380 × 10–21 µm) and small anchorate isochelae
(23–37 µm). Koltun (1959) additionally reports large
anchorate isochelae (44–84 µm); these were lacking in
specimens we examined from the Aleutian Islands.
Zoogeographic distribution. Uncommon. In Alaska –
central Aleutian Islands. Elsewhere – Arctic Ocean (Barents
Sea – White Sea, and Kara Sea) and North Atlantic
Ocean (Norwegian Sea, Denmark Strait, Davis Strait).
Habitat. In Alaska – attached to pebbles at a depth of
190 m. Elsewhere – reported at depths between 20 and
300 m, temperatures of 1.5 to 4.95°C, and salinities of
27.68 to 35.01 psu.
Photo. 1) Fragmented specimen collected at a depth
of 190 m in the central Aleutian Islands. Grid marks
are 1 cm 2 .