Geodia mesotriaena Lendenfeld 1910

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Craniella and Stellata do not look like paving stones under the hand lens. Geodinella robusta is whitish yellow to brown and has monoenes, plagiodeaenes, and strongylospherasters but no orthotriaenes, protriaenes, anatriaenes, oxyasters, oxyspherasters, or strongylasters.

Geographical Range: Southeast Alaska to southern California

This white or dirty beige sponge has a rigid feel. It grows as a raised lump or spherical form with a broad attachment to the rock. The surface is made up of sterrasters which appear like paving stones under a hand lens. Also contains oxeas from 150-600 microns and from 2-8 mm long, orthotriaenes 1.5 to 8 mm long, with bifurcated rays in some; protriaenes 2-17 mm long, anatrienes 4-23 mm long, oxyasters 11-54 microns long, and oxyspherasters 6-32 microns long. Total sponge can be up to at least 20 cm diameter.

Doubtful record from Europe. This species was originally described from the East Pacific.