Heterorhaphis Sponge
Pericharax heteroraphis
Also known as: Calcareous Sponge, Lettuce Sponge, Marine Sponge, Volcano Sponge, Yellow Sponge Coral, Green Sponge Coral
- Calcareous Sponge
- Lettuce Sponge
- Marine Sponge
- Volcano Sponge
- Yellow Sponge Coral
- Green Sponge Coral
Overview
Found attached to cave walls, drop-offs, and slopes, of coral and rocky reefs. Colour varies from green to yellow.
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.
How to identify
Habitat & where to find it
- Range · Indo-West Pacific, Southeast Atlantic
- Country only · 2
Found attached to cave walls, drop-offs, and slopes, of coral and rocky reefs.
Adult photos 2
Discussion
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Deep dive
Taxonomy
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumPorifera
- classCalcarea
- orderClathrinida
- familyLeucettidae
- genusPericharax
- speciesPericharax heteroraphis Poléjaeff, 1883
SourcesWoRMS
More in the family
Clathrinida
