Saltcorner
By Bob Goemans
By Bob Goemans
Likely Reef Tank Suitable
Likely Fish-Only Tank Suitable
Range: Western Atlantic Ocean: Caribbean and the Bahamas.
Natural Environment: Inhabits reef slope areas where current is swift and seen at depths to 325 feet (100 m).
Aquarium Suitability: Not collected for the home aquarium trade.
Best left in the wild.
Note: For a photo of this sponge, visit the Marine Invertebrates And Plants of the Living Reef, page 61.
Taxonomy:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Subclass: Heteroscleomorpha
Order: Caenogastropoda
Family: Agelasida
Genus: Agelas
FYI: Feeds by drawing water in and through its pores and filtering out bacteria and organic particles, then expelling the filtered water out through the osculi.
Has embedded chemicals to prevent tissue loss to predators.
Generally a large thin flap of spongy material attached lengthwise by a short stem about 1.5 inches (4 cm) in diameter. May reach a height and width of about 30 inches (75 cm). Somewhat 'ear' shaped.
