Description

Also known as Demospongiae, Marine Sponge, Rigid Sponge, Siliceous Sponge, Tube Sponge, Tubular Sponge, Verongida Sponge.

Found in colonies, over sandy, surge, and wave zones, around mangrove ponds, of coral and rocky reefs. Varies in colour and texture, often pitted, with a honeycomb pattern, forming chains or groups of tubes.
They feed on plankton.
Length - 3cm
Depth - 1-18m
Widespread Western Atlantic, Caribbean



Sponges come in a range of sizes from minuscule encrusting species under rocks to massive sponges which can be up to one and half metres high.
They are able to filter many litres of sea water every few seconds.
Sponges can exude highly toxic chemicals and so have very few predators apart from nudibranchs, sea stars, sea urchins and umbrella shell.
Their colour can vary if growing in the light or when growing in the shade. Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verongula_rigida