Sea Sponge

Sea sponges are one of the simplest animals in the world. The scientific term for sponges is porifera, which means pore bearing.  A sponge is covered with tiny pores called ostia.  Most sponges are small but some are capable of growing over six feet in diameter. Sponges like to eat small flouting organic particles and plankton.  Sponges were discovered about 500 years ago.  They are found in sea water about 100 feet deep. They live in rocky places, and commonly grow on rocks or in sea beds. Nearly 5 thousand species of sponge exist today.  The body of a sponge is something like a bag that is pierced all over with openings called pores. Sponges are supported by a network of spikes.  Those spikes can be as sharp as needles, as anyone who has touched a live sponge knows.  The two basic types of sponges are: encrusting or free-standing. However, these are not part of the true classification of sponges (it just makes it easier for us to categorize them).

A tube sponge is a distinguished by its long tube-shaped growths, and ranges in color from purple to blue, gray, and gray-green.  Filtered water is ejected through the large openings on the ends.  This is one of the few reef invertebrates that is blue in color.

A vase sponge is found in the Caribbean off the eastern coast of Florida. A large bell shape with a deep central cavity characterizes it. This sponge grows up to 2 feet wide and 3 feet high. It ranges in color from purple to red and brown, and is found attached to rocks near the sandy bottoms.

A red tree sponge species is very common throughout the Caribbean Sea. This sponge usually grows to a height of about 8 inches. This is one species that is easy to keep and can do relatively well in a home aquarium environment.