Florent's Guide To The

South Florida Reefs

Branching Tube Sponge
Aiolochroia crassa
Branching Tube Sponge
Category: Common Sponges
Scientific Name: Aiolochroia crassa
Synonyms: Pseudoceratina crassa
Size: 6 to 18 in. (15 to 45 cm)  
Depth: 20-80 ft. (6-25 m)
Distribution: Caribbean, Bahamas, Florida, Bermuda
Note: There exists several morphotypes, and it is possible that A. crassa is actually 2 or 3 different species.
Porifera (Phylum)
└Demospongiae (Class)
 └Verongimorpha (Subclass)
  └Aplysinidae (Family)
   └Aiolochroia (Genus)

Sponges
Common Sponges

Branching Tube Sponge

Row Pore Rope Sponge

Yellow Tube Sponge

Scattered Pore Rope Sponge

Branchlet Sponge

Pitted Sponge

Star Encrusting Sponge

Citron Sponge

Orange Elephant Ear Sponge

Tubulate Sponge

Brown Clustered Tube Sponge

Walper's Branching Sponge

Touch-Me-Not Sponge

Branching Vase Sponge

Callyspongia fallax

Elongated Vase Sponge

Azure Vase Sponge

Brown Variable Sponge

Red Boring Sponge

Loggerhead Sponge

Red Encrusting Sponge

Pink Lumpy Sponge

Lumpy Overgrowing Sponge

Leathery Barrel Sponge

Green Finger Sponge

Orange-Veined Encrusting Sponge

Peach Encrusting Sponge

Orange Icing Sponge

Strawberry Vase Sponge

Erect Rope Sponge

Brown Bowl Sponge

Pink Vase Sponge

Lavender Rope Spounge

Giant Barrel Sponge

Brown Encrusting Octopus Sponge

Orange Lumpy Encrusting Sponge

Dark Volcano Sponge

Red-Orange Encrusting Sponge

Pink and Red Encrusting Sponge

High-Veined Encrusting Sponge

Orange Ball Sponge

Bell Sponge

Stinker Sponge

Black-Ball Sponge

Smenospongia conulosa



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© 2025 Florent Charpin