Halichondria bowerbanki Burton, 1930
General description:
This demosponge species is either encrusting, branching, or forms flattened lobes. The skeleton is composed of irregularly and loosely packed, siliceous spicules. Spicule type includes megascleres (oxeas) only, measuring 170-300 mm in length. Color variants include gold, yellowish-tan, or olive-brown; surface is often translucent. For complete description, see Lee et al., 2007.
Look alikes:
In the Northeast Pacific, Halichondria bowerbanki is most similar to H. panicea (Pallas, 1766).
Distribution:
Halichondria bowerbanki has been introduced to the Northeast Pacific, with confirmed records from British Columbia to central California. This species is native to the Northeast Atlantic, distributed from the Bay of Fundy to Cape Hatteras.
Habitat:
Marine; bays and harbors, on floats