| Aplysina aerophoba | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Verongida |
| Family: | Aplysinidae |
| Genus: | Aplysina |
| Species: | A. aerophoba |
| Binomial name | |
| Aplysina aerophoba | |
| Synonyms | |
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Aplysina aerophoba is a species of sponge in the family Aplysinidae. It is a yellow, tube-forming or encrusting sponge and is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea; the type locality is the Adriatic Sea. [1]
Aplysina aerophoba forms colonies up to 1 m (3 ft) across of irregular, yellow, tubular processes. Individual tubes are up to 4 cm (1.6 in) long and 2.5 cm (1.0 in) wide, with small oscula or exhalant pores in the centre of the flattened end. The surface of both basal mass and tubes bears small, cylindrical projections of variable length. The surface is slippery to the touch and the texture is firm and rubbery. [2] When removed from water, this sponge turns blue, leading to its specific name "aerophoba" (Greek: "fear of air"). [3]
Aplysina aerophoba could be confused with another yellow sponge, Aplysina cavernicola , but the two have different textures, morphology and pigmentation, and occupy different habitats, with A. aerophoba being found in sunlit spots and A. cavernicola in marine caves. Another, dis-similar, dwarf yellow sponge has been found in the Mediterranean in the early 21st century; genetic analysis has confirmed that it is a miniature form of A. aerophoba. [4]
The dwarf form is a bright sulphur yellow colour and forms small lobular patches on the surface of rocks. These do not usually touch each other, but there may be some non-apparent connection between them. Each lobe is somewhere between 2 and 15 mm (0.1 and 0.6 in) in diameter and often has small, slender cylindrical projections a few millimetres long. The surface is pitted with small puncture marks which correspond to the inhalant pores. The oscula are very small, usually less than 1 mm in diameter. [5]
Aplysina aerophoba is chiefly a Mediterranean species, but is also found in adjacent parts of the Atlantic Ocean in Portugal and northwestern Spain. [2] It is common in the Canary Islands. [3] Its depth range is from the lower intertidal zone to about 20 m (70 ft), usually being found in sunlit locations. [2] The dwarf form is known from a few locations in the Mediterranean Sea including Liguria, Provence and Corsica, and lives in caves and under overhangs in very shallow water. [5]
This sponge feeds by drawing water in through small pores known as ostia at the base of the sponge and ejecting the water from the oscula, having filtered out organic particles such as bacteria, unicellular algae and tiny particles of detritus. It is a hermaphrodite; the gametes are released into the sea where fertilisation occurs, the larvae are planktonic and soon settle in a suitable location and undergo metamorphosis into juvenile sponges. Under certain conditions, the sponge can produce buds which separate off from the parent and form new colonies. [5]
Halichondria panicea, commonly known as the breadcrumb sponge, is a species of sea sponge belonging to the family Halichondriidae. This is an abundant sponge of coastal areas of the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea ranging from the intertidal zone to a recorded depth of over 550 m. It is also found in the intertidal zone of the coast of the northern part of the North Island of New Zealand. It is very tolerant of a wide range of coastal habitats, including strong currents, high salinity and exposure to powerful wave action. Its only requirement is a rocky substrate which can include small cobbles.
Tylodina perversa, common names the "yellow tylodina" or "yellow umbrella slug", is a species of sea snail or false limpet, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Tylodinidae.
The crumb-of-bread sponge is a species of sea sponge in the class Demospongiae.
Arturia canariensis, commonly known as the yellow calcareous sponge, is a species of sponge in the family Clathrinidae. It is found in shallow seas in the Canary Islands, Cape Verde, the Adriatic Sea and the Caribbean Sea. The specific epiphet "canariensis" was given to this species because it was first described from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands.
Tethya aurantium, also known as the golf ball sponge or orange puffball sponge, is a species of sea sponge belonging to the family Tethyidae. It is spherical in shape, with a warty surface, and grows to about 10 cm in diameter. Oscula are present on the upper surface. The surface has sharp protruding spicules which can cause skin irritation if touched.
Parazoanthus swiftii, commonly known as the golden zoanthid, is a species of coral in the order Zoantharia which grows symbiotically on several species of sponge. It is found in shallow waters in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean.
Neofibularia nolitangere, commonly known as the touch-me-not sponge, is a species of sea sponge in the family Biemnidae. It is found in shallow waters in the Western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.
Aaptos papillata is a species of sea sponge belonging to the family Suberitidae. This species was first described in 1880. It is native to the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the English Channel and the Mediterranean Sea.
Aplysina insularis, commonly known as the yellow-green candle sponge or yellow candle sponge, is a species of sea sponge found on reefs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Haliclona caerulea is a species of marine sponge in the family Chalinidae. It is an encrusting tubular sponge that grows anchored on rocky surfaces of coral reefs.
Aplysina is a genus of sea sponges in the order Verongiida. It was first authenticated and described by Giovanni Domenico Nardo in 1834.
Aplysina fistularis, also known as the yellow tube sponge, is a species of sea sponge in the order Verongiida. Aplysina fistularis is a golden or orange-brown color with a conulose surface. The animal is abundant in the Caribbean, where it is commonly found in reefs of open water areas. This sponge was first described by the Prussian zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.
Aplysina cavernicola is a species of sponge in the family Aplysinidae. It is native to the Mediterranean Sea where it grows in caves and under overhangs.
Corticium candelabrum is a species of sponge in the order Homosclerophorida. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea where it inhabits the shallow sublittoral zone. The type locality is the Adriatic Sea.
Biemna variantia is a species of sponge in the family Biemnidae. It is native to the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. This species was first described in 1858 by the British naturalist James Scott Bowerbank, who gave it the name Halichondria variantia. It was later moved to the genus Biemna and is the type species of the genus. The type locality is Tenby, Wales.
Hymeniacidon kitchingi is a species of sponge in the class Demospongiae. It is found in shallow waters in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean. This species was first described in 1935 by the British zoologist Maurice Burton. He placed it in a new genus because of its unusual spicules, and named it Rhaphidostyla kitchingi, in honour of Dr J. A. Kitching, who had collected the original specimen. It was later transferred to the genus Hymeniacidon.
Clathria aceratoobtusa is a species of sponge in the family Microcionidae. The genus Clathria is subdivided into a number of subgenera, and it is in the subgenus Microciona. It is native to shallow water habitats in the Indo-Pacific region. The type locality is the Gulf of Thailand.
Halisarca caerulea is a species of sponge in the family Halisarcidae. It is native to the Caribbean Sea and was first described in 1987 by the French marine biologists Jean Vacelet and Claude Donadey.
Polymastia penicillus is a species of sponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is found in shallow water in the northeastern and the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, growing on rocks in areas of high sedimentation.
Oscarella tuberculata is a species of sponge in the order Homosclerophorida. It is endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, where it forms encrusting colonies on rocks and other hard surfaces.
