On April 19, 1993, an world-wide organization convened, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, to discuss various issues and relate to others their experiences and studies. They did not convene to change government. They did not assemble to address a war. Instead, the Fourth International Porifera Congress convened to discuss the topic of Sponges in Time and Space. The proceedings united the expertise of scientists in biology, chemistry, and paleontology. Modern scientists theorized about a past five hundred million years ago, and they probed into the future of science.

While an International Porifera Congress could be considered an organization for scientists who spend their lives locked up in labs and whose closets are infiltrated by white lab coats, such is not the case. These scientists explored the world around us and became the detectives in a case formally known as geologic history.

During the five day course of the Congress, which extended from April 19 to April 23, 1993, scientists culminated their research and produced masses of publications. The research clarified misconceptions. The research introduced new ideas. The research established new laws of nature.

One subject addressed by the Congress was the very original hermit crab sponge. So, we’d like to invite you on a virtual trip to Dog Island, Florida, official home of the Florida hermit-crab sponge.

Join us for a boat ride from the Florida mainland. It’s January, but the temperatures are still moderate. About six kilometers into your journey, a thin line appears on the horizon of southwest within the northeastern gulf. As you approach, you see a barrier island, one of many within a larger chain. Its dimensions do not exceed eleven kilometers in length and 1.2 kilometers in width. Once you glance into the waters near the coast, you happen to see a bright mass of color moving across the floor of the Gulf- the Florida hermit-crab sponge.

The Florida hermit-crab sponge is a hermit crab sponge, especially affiliated with the Pagurus Impressus hermit crab. In previous studies, it has demonstrated definite affinities to the familiar hermit crab sponge which is identified as Suberites domuncula. This particular species of porifera occupies waters in the Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. However, unlike its similar counterpart, there are substantial lacks in research concerning the Florida hermit-crab sponge.

In studies, conducted in January of 1992 and 1993, scientists strove to gain a more enriched understanding of the sponge. The results of direct survey were very helpful. However, research capabilities were limited by on-coast surveys. Therefore, in order to compensate, some sponge samples were observed in the laboratory of Coe College. An ideal habitat was created from chemicals known as "Instant Ocean synthetic sea salts" and a natural sand substrate from Dog Island. When the results were finalized, it cleared up inconsistencies with data and provided new analysis.

Typically, (if the sponge could be classified as typical) this unique porifera is compacted and dense. Its mass covered a range from less than half of a gram to about sixten grams. There were few differentiations between occupied and unoccupied sponges. On its exterior layer, which may vary in color from green to tan to shades of orange, the textures are smooth. Green is the most predominant color, and ninety percent of the observed species were some shade of green. While the texture is smooth, the overall composition and structure is contorted. It extends in branches and unusually shaped protrusions. The number of osculums differred between various species. Highly developed species had two or more oscula, while less developed species possessed a solitary osculum, about five milimeters in diameter.

As to the relationships between sponge and gastropod substrate, different trends were realized. Ninety-two percent of the sponges was connected to Cantharus cancellarius, and approximately seven percent was associated with Terebra species. The size of the shell varied. Also, the location of openings demonstrated various correlations. Eighty-two and one-half percent of the openings were in the lower area of the sponge. Seventeen percent of the openings occurred in the middle sections of the sponge. Only one percent was positioned in higher areas on the sponge’s body. The three most common species of hermit crabs within the occupied sponges (56.7 % of the sponges were occupied) werePagurus impressus, Pagarus pollicarus, and Pagurus longicarpus.

One particularly unique aspect of these studies was to identify the impact that the sponge had or one damage it inflicted upon its occupant and the gastropod shell. Toxins within the sponge were found to be corrosive to the underlying shells and substrates. While some species that had been studied by other scientists demonstrated abilities to cause partial deterioration, other species could completely dissolve the shell. The Florida hermit-crab sponge does not manifest the ramifications of such corrosive activity. Even minute shells sufferred no damage.

Currently, even more research is being conducted with the mysterios Florida hermit-crab sponge. In the future, it is hoped that it may be better understood, for the sake of curiosity in our natural world.