''Aplysina fistularis'', also known as the yellow tube sponge,
is a species of
sea sponge in the order Verongiida.
''Aplysina fistularis'' is a golden or orange-brown color with a conulose surface. The animal is abundant in the Caribbean, where it is commonly found in reefs of open water areas.
This sponge was first described by the Prussian zoologist
Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.
Description
''Aplysina fistularis'' consists of one or more yellow tube-like structures that arise from a closed base and are
sessile. The sponge has wide
oscula and thin walls with ridged surfaces.
Each tube is rarely over in clear water but can reach in turbid-zone reefs. Unlike the related species ''
Aplysina insularis
''Aplysina insularis'', commonly known as the yellow-green candle sponge or yellow candle sponge, is a species of sea sponge found on reefs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.
Description
''Aplysina insularis'' is a large sponge and con ...
'', ''A. fistularis'' does not develop rope-like projections around its tubes, although it may show some branching tendrils.
''A. fistularis'' does not have a silicate skeletal structure like most sponges, and was used as a
bath sponge before the invention of synthetic sponges.
The primary predator of ''A. fistularis'' is the
hawksbill turtle.
Reproduction
''Aplysina fistularis'' can reproduce both sexually and
asexually. Asexual reproduction usually occurs only if a piece of the body is broken off. Newly formed sponges require a hard surface to attach to and grow on. If a reef is heavily disturbed, such as being covered by algae or sediment, ''A. fistularis'' may struggle to establish itself and grow.
In popular culture
In ''
The SpongeBob Musical'', the popular
animated character SpongeBob SquarePants is revealed to be an ''Aplysina fistularis''.
References
External links
*
Verongimorpha
Fauna of the Atlantic Ocean
Taxa named by Peter Simon Pallas
Animals described in 1766
SpongeBob SquarePants
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