Elephant Ear

Growth form vase- or fan-shaped, large (up to over 1 m). Surface finely conulose, inhalant and exhalant openings of the aquiferous system on the outer and inner sides, respectively, of the vase, or on the opposite sides of the fan. Wall 5–10 mm thick. Inhalant apertures large and irregular. Oscules small with a diameter ca. 1.5 mm and grouped in clubs regularly scattered. Colour in vivo from grey to brown. Surface conulose. Ectosomal skeleton covered by a dermal membrane rich of sand, as a network of secondary fibres (15–20 µm in diameter) connected to the apices of primaries. Choanosomal skeleton as an irregular network of secondaries (20–40 µm in diameter) with evident tracts of primary fibres (50–80 µm in diameter) extended between inner and outer surfaces. Primary fibres cored by mineral inclusions.