Species of Marine Sponges

The Earth's surface is predominantly ocean. We have collected and studied only a fraction of the life in the sea, with many species that we have yet to discover. ,Approximately 5,000 species of sponges are known, broken up into four classes with several species within each one. Marine sponges are commonly seen in marine aquariums.

  1. Clathrina Calthrus

    • The species Clathrina calthrus belongs to the class Calcarea, hard-bodied sponges. These are the only sponges made up of branches, called "spicules," that are not hollow. All other sponges have hollow spicules, which make this sponge easy to identify. According to habitas.org, this species is yellow, common in tropical Mediterranean waters, and usually in caves or beneath overhangs.

    Euplectella Aspergillum

    • According to the Natural History Museum, Euplectella aspergillum, also called "Venus' flower basket," is within the class Hexactinellida. Sponges within this class are commonly referred to as "glass sponges" as their bodies are composed entirely of silica. This species is found in deep water, although other sponges within the class are found in shallow waters. They anchor themselves to the ocean floor, and being completely sessile (non-ambulatory), they remain there for the duration of their lives. This species is characterized by its vase shape.

    Xestospongia Muta

    • This species is within the class Demospongiae, the most diverse and commonly known species of marine sponge. This large sponge is common in coral reef communities, according to the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Although this species is known to help coral reef health, little else is known. According to Animal Diversity Web, sponges within this class are often bright yellow, orange, red, purple or green. This species is no exception.

    Tips

    • Whenever dealing with marine sponges, it is imperative to not touch them with your bare hands. Several subspecies of sponges are poisonous and can burn your skin and cause significant pain. More and more marine enthusiasts are beginning to introduce them into their aquariums. If you are placing a sponge in your marine aquarium, be sure you know exactly what type it is and what it is capable of. Some sponges release poisons if threatened, even by fish. This could lead to disaster for your aquarium.