Description: Thin sheets, usually 2 - 3mm thick, but can develop into cushions of uniform thickness up to 10mm thick. Diameter of the animal may be up to 10cm. Deep orange - red. The pigment squeezes out readily. Moderately firm and elastic. "Compressible, resilient. Breaks somewhat in the manner of a soft biscuit." The oscules are conspicuous and evenly distributed in a regular fashion between 5 and 10mm apart over the surface. Neat, round and mostly flush with the surface, but the margins can be raised slightly above the surface. "Occasionally sub-fistular."

Distribution: "British Isles; France and Spain." A common shore species with recent records from south-west England, western Ireland, Strangford Lough and Tiree. Fry (1971) did research on this species from the Menai Straits and Anglesey.

Distribution Map from NBN: Ophlitaspongia papilla at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Ophlitaspongia papilla at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Ophlitaspongia papilla at World Register of Marine Species.