WHATSTHATFISH
Sponges

Stovepipe Sponge

Aplysina archeri

Also known as: Blue Sponge, Demospongiae, Lavender Stovepipe Sponge, Marine Sponge, Pink Tube Sponge, Siliceous Spong, Tube Sponge, Tubular Sponge

Adult
@fishx6 · bonaire Dive site Oil Slick, Caribbean Netherlands · November 20101 / 9
01

Overview

Found in colonies, on ledges, around mangroves, and on walls, of coral and rocky reefs.

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.

02

How to identify

COLOURS
Body shape
tubes

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Central Atlantic, Caribbean
  • Country only · 8
LIVES IN

Found in colonies, on ledges, around mangroves, and on walls, of coral and rocky reefs.

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Adult photos 9

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Discussion 5

Comments are checked by a moderator before they appear.

5 comments

  • emily· 10 Sept 2013

    i need to know these things about the stove pipe sponge but i can't seem to find the answers. what is it's internal transport, what is its excretion, movement, and response to temperature change and predators?

  • Kaitlin· 13 May 2013

    How long does it live

  • fishx6Top Contributor· 16 Jun 2013

    This sponge will live to 200+ years!

    Helpful
  • fishx6Top Contributor· 12 Jun 2013

    The sponge feeds on plankton.

    Helpful
ALL STAGES
FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

Deep dive

Taxonomy

  1. kingdomAnimalia
  2. phylumPorifera
  3. classDemospongiae
  4. orderVerongiida
  5. familyAplysinidae
  6. genusAplysina
  7. speciesAplysina archeri (Higgin, 1875)

SourcesWoRMSWikipedia

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More in the family

Verongiida