| Penares sphaera | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Porifera |
| Class: | Demospongiae |
| Order: | Tetractinellida |
| Family: | Geodiidae |
| Genus: | Penares |
| Species: | P. sphaera |
| Binomial name | |
| Penares sphaera (Lendenfeld, 1907) | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
| |
Penares sphaera, the crater sponge, is a deep sea demosponge from southern Africa.
This pale sponge has a thick encrusting growth form. It ranges from white to pale peach to light grey. [2] [3] It is very hard, almost stony. [2] It does, however, tear easily. The surface looks smooth but has a rough texture. [3] White ringed ostioles are scattered across the surface and may be more clustered in some parts. [2] Oscules are abundant on the upper parts. It may grow to be 110 mm (4.3 in) long and 90 mm (3.5 in) wide. [3]
The following spicules make up the skeleton of this species: [2]
Dichotriaenes and envelop the surface. The longest rays face inwards. Oxeas and microxeas are scattered in the choanosome. The cortex is made of densely packed microxeas. [2]
This species is found off the coast of Namibia and off the West, South and East Coasts of South Africa. It grows on solid surfaces at depths of 107–500 m (351–1,640 ft). [2] [3]
This species is sometimes found growing on other sponges. [2] Molluscs may be found living within the sponge and invertebrates may be found living on the surface. [3]
Hexactinellid sponges are sponges with a skeleton made of four- and/or six-pointed siliceous spicules, often referred to as glass sponges. They are usually classified along with other sponges in the phylum Porifera, but some researchers consider them sufficiently distinct to deserve their own phylum, Symplasma. Some experts believe glass sponges are the longest-lived animals on earth; these scientists tentatively estimate a maximum age of up to 15,000 years.
Cliona californiana, the yellow boring sponge, boring sponge or sulphur sponge, is a species of demosponge belonging to the family Clionaidae. It is native to the north-eastern Pacific Ocean and burrows into the shell valves of bivalve molluscs.
Sponge reefs are reefs produced by sea sponges. All modern sponge reefs are formed by hexactinellid sponges, which have an endoskeleton made of silica spicules and are often referred to as "glass sponges", while historically the non-spiculed, calcite-skeletoned archaeocyathid and stromatoporoid sponges were the primariy reef-builders.
Clathrina coriacea is a species of calcareous sponge belonging to the class Calcarea and family Clathrinidae. Species in the genus Clathrina are composed of calcium carbonate tube-like skeletons containing spicules. The sponge can be located in shallow waters widely distributed along North Atlantic coasts, as well as on other coasts.
Arturia tenuipilosa is a species of calcareous sponge from Sri Lanka. The name refers to the very thin, hair-like oxea present in this species.
The orange wall sponge is a species of sea sponge belonging to the order Trachycladida. It is found in the south Atlantic and Indo-Pacific oceans. Around the South African coast, it is known from the Cape Peninsula to Cape Agulhas.
Agelas flabelliformis, also known as the elephant ear sponge, is a species of demosponge. It takes the form of a large leathery slender flap and is found in the Caribbean area at depths down to 100 metres (330 ft).
Neopetrosia subtriangularis is a species of marine petrosiid sponges native to the waters off Florida and the Caribbean Sea. They superficially resemble staghorn corals.
Geodia megastrella is a species of sponge in the family Geodiidae. It is a type of demosponge found in the deep temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean. It has characteristic stellar-shaped large spicules coined 'megastrellum', hence its name. The species was first described by Henry John Carter in 1876, after dredging it up aboard H.M.S. 'Porcupine', near the Cape St. Vincent in Portugal.
Haliclona submonilifera, or the bubble bead sponge, is a deep-water demosponge from the continental shelf and slope off south-west Africa.
Hamacantha esperoides is a species of demosponge. It is commonly known as the fibrous sponge. It occurs off the southern and western coasts of South Africa, off the coast of Namibia, and off the southeast coast of South America.
Inflatella belli, or the gooseberry sponge, is a species of demosponge that appears to be restricted to the southern hemisphere, where it is widespread. It occurs from the coast of Namibia and the Indo-pacific, down to the Subantarctic and Antarctic regions.
Fibulia ramosa, or the columnar sponge, is a species of deep-sea demosponge from the southern hemisphere.
Mycale anisochela, the brain sponge, is a species of demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Polymastia bouryesnaultae, the knobbly sponge, is a small and cryptic species of demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Suberites dandelenae, the amorphous solid sponge, is a species of deep-sea demosponge from South Africa and Namibia.
Penares is a widely distributed genus of demosponges.
Tetilla capillosa, the furry sponge, is a species of demosponge from southern Africa.
Tetilla casula, the volcano sponge, is a species of demosponge from the south coast of South Africa.
Rossella antarctica is a relatively small species of glass sponge. It is widely distributed in the southern hemisphere, particularly in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions.