| Corticium candelabrum | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Homoscleromorpha |
| Order: | Homosclerophorida |
| Family: | Plakinidae |
| Genus: | Corticium |
| Species: | C. candelabrum |
| Binomial name | |
| Corticium candelabrum | |
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. [1]
Corticium candelabrum is sometimes thinly encrusting, or may form small solid cushions some 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) across and 2 to 3 cm (0.8 to 1.2 in) high which are connected to the substrate by a narrow solid stalk. The surface is sometimes irregularly lobed and is smooth and shiny, and covered by a translucent envelope. The oscula (exhalant openings) are slightly raised and the pores (inhalant openings) are few in number but quite noticeable. The colour is some shade of pale to mid-brown, sometimes tinged with red, and its consistency varies from firm to cartilaginous. [2]
The species occurs in shallow water in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Canary Islands, the Azores and Madeira, and the Iberian Peninsula from Biarritz southwards to Gibraltar. It also occurs in the Western Mediterranean Sea and Adriatic Sea. It is found in coralline algae communities in shady positions, on vertical walls, under overhangs and in caves, at depths down to about 20 m (70 ft). [3] It is one of the most widely distributed sponges in the Mediterranean. [2]
Like other sponges, C. candelabrum draws water into its body through the small pores, filters out and ingests the nutritional particles, and expels the water through the oscula. It feeds on small particles under three micrometres in diameter, such as bacteria, unicellular algae and organic debris. [3] The sea slug Berthella ocellata sometimes feeds on the sponge, rasping off fragments with its radula. [4]
This sponge is a hermaphrodite, but the male and female gametes mature at different times, so it does not self-fertilise. The sperm are liberated into the sea and if they are drawn into another sponge of the same species, they are engulfed by cells containing the eggs and fertilisation occurs. The larvae are retained within the sponge until they reached their final stage of development after which they are expelled into the water column, soon after which they settle on the substrate and metamorphose into juvenile sponges. [3]
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.
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.
Spongilla lacustris is a species of freshwater sponge from the family Spongillidae. It inhabits freshwater rivers and lakes, often growing under logs or rocks. Lacustris is a Latin word meaning "related to or associated with lakes". The species ranges from North America to Europe and Asia. It is the most common freshwater sponge in central Europe. It is the most widespread sponge in Northern Britain, and is one of the most common species of sponges in lakes and canals. Spongilla lacustris have the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually. They become dormant during winter. The growth form ranges from encrusting, to digitate, to branched, depending upon the quality of the habitat.
Didemnum molle is a species of colonial tunicate in the family Didemnidae. It is commonly known as the tall urn ascidian, the green barrel sea squirt or the green reef sea-squirt. It is native to the Red Sea and the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region.
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.
Cliona viridis, commonly called the green boring sponge, is a species of demosponge in the family Clionaidae. Its form varies according to the nature of the surface on which it grows. In limestone and other calcareous substrates it excavates channels and chambers while on other types of rock it encrusts the surface or forms massive structures. It is native to the eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea and the Indo-Pacific Ocean.
Cerianthus membranaceus, the cylinder anemone or coloured tube anemone, is a species of large, tube-dwelling anemone in the family Cerianthidae. It is native to the Mediterranean Sea and adjoining parts of the northeastern Atlantic Ocean.
Cliona orientalis is a species of demosponge in the family Clionaidae. It occurs in the Indo-Pacific region and is a bioeroding species, with various specialisations for living on and inside calcareous substrates such as massive corals and molluscs.
Berthella ocellata is a species of sea slug, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Pleurobranchidae. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea where it inhabits the shallow sublittoral zone.
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.
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.
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.
Berthella stellata is a species of sea slug in the family Pleurobranchidae. It is found in shallow water in the Mediterranean Sea, the western Atlantic Ocean and the tropical and subtropical Indo-Pacific region.
Polymastia boletiformis is a species of sponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is found in the Arctic Ocean and on both sides of the North Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Crisularia plumosa is a species of bryozoan belonging to the family Bugulidae, commonly known as the feather bryozoan. It is native to the Atlantic Ocean.
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.
Walkeria uva is a species of colonial bryozoan in the order Ctenostomatida. It occurs on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, in the Baltic Sea, in the Mediterranean Sea and in the Indo-Pacific region.