This sponge is usually white but can also be grey, pale rose, orange or sulphur yellow in colour. Several new species have recently been described from the NE Atlantic and it is likely that different forms currently identified as Clathrina coriacea are in fact distinct species. Young colonies are often thinly encrusting but more mature ones form a soft, compact network of anastomosing thin walled tubes. This species may be confused with Leucosolenia botryoides and other Leucosolenia species which are also comprised of thin walled tubes, however in C. coriacea there are no erect free branches.

Agulhas Bank, Azores Canaries Madeira, Azores Exclusive Economic Zone, Belgian Exclusive Economic Zone, Bermuda, Celtic Seas, Cosmopolitan (World Oceans), Gulf of Mexico, Inhaca Island, Irish Exclusive economic Zone, Kerguelen Islands, Mambone Islands, Mozambique Channel, New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone, North East Atlantic, North Sea, North West Atlantic, Paradise Islands, Red Sea, South Coast of England, United Kingdom Exclusive Economic Zone, Wimereux

It does not seem to be cosmopolitan, but a geographically well-defined species from the North Atlantic.

Western slope of Newfoundland , including the southern part of the Strait of Belle Isle but excluding the upper 50 m in the area southwest of Newfoundland.

A common species complex that occurs on all coasts of the British Isles.

Depth range based on 125 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 29 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 0 - 91
  Temperature range (°C): 7.271 - 24.323
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.733 - 8.618
  Salinity (PPS): 33.476 - 36.325
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.350 - 6.313
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.118 - 0.572
  Silicate (umol/l): 0.993 - 3.287

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 0 - 91

Temperature range (°C): 7.271 - 24.323

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.733 - 8.618

Salinity (PPS): 33.476 - 36.325

Oxygen (ml/l): 4.350 - 6.313

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.118 - 0.572

Silicate (umol/l): 0.993 - 3.287
 
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This sponge is usually found on clean rock surfaces in the shallow sublittoral and also under overhangs and boulders on the shore. It is often found associated with the ascidian Dendrodoa grossularia in surge gullies but also in sheltered caves.

Genomic DNA is available from 1 specimen with morphological vouchers housed at Australia Museum