Callyspongia crassa, commonly known as prickly tube-sponge, is a species of sponge found from the Red Sea to the Seychelles. Its wide flexible brown tube with exterior protuberances can appear as a single tube or as clusters of tubes and can reach up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) in size.[1][2][3] Like many other sea sponges, it is primarily used for marine drugs as they have many bioactive components and properties.[4] They also play an important role in marine reef and benthic communities, as they constantly filter water and act as habitats for smaller organisms.[5][6] As sea sponges, they have the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually.[7]
Naming and taxonomy
The name crassa derives from the Latin word crassus meaning solid, thick, fat, or dense.[8] Its common name, the prickly tube-sponge, comes from its physical appearance as it is a tube sponge and it is nearly completely covered in spines.[9] It was previously named Sclerochalina crassa, but was eventually moved to the genus Callyspongia.[2][10]
The genus Callyspongia belongs to the family Callyspongiidae. This family contains four genera: Arenosclera, Callyspongia, Dactylia, and Siphonochalina with Callyspongia being the largest and containing over 180 species.[11] They are under the phylum Porifera, making them a sponge. Specifically, they are Demosponges, which is the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera.[12]
Description
The prickly tube-sponge is a large, flexible, brown, sometimes red, tube that can be found as a singular tube or as a cluster. It has been known to reach up to 50 centimeters (~20 inches) with specimens as small as 2 mm having been found, but it typically has an average diameter of 30 centimeters (~12 inches). Most of its surface is covered with spines or spine-like protrusions which tend to taper away towards the upper part of the tube.[2][4][9]
Gallery
Human use and ecosystem relevance
Humans mainly use these sponges for marine drugs.[4] Many species of sponge are used for marine drugs due to their bioactive components, many of which are used for antiseptic agents.[4][9]Callyspongia crassa has over 20 compounds with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties, among others, which contribute to its various medical uses.[9][citation needed]
Sea sponges are also of important use in the wild. They play an important role in nutrient recycling and in filtering the water[5] which is useful for many of the reefs that they live in as clearer water makes sunlight more accessible for photosynthesizing organisms in the same area.[13] Many sponges also serve as a habitat for a variety of other organisms. They can serve as microhabitats,[5] with conditions different from the larger surrounding area. Tube sponges specifically, often have small fish and other inhabitants living inside of the tubes.[6]
Ecology
Habitat
These sponges are native to the Red Sea. Samples have been found in the southern Red Sea off the coasts of Sudan and Eritrea[2] and in the northern Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba at Eilat.[4][9] They are known to live in marine reef and marine benthic habitats, relatively close to shore.[2] They have been found between a depth of 1–30 m, but they are more abundant at deeper depths (15–30 m).[4] They live in waters with high salinity and warm temperatures, with water in the Red Sea never dropping below 21 °C (70 °F).[10]
Feeding
Callyspongia crassa are filter feeders and suspension feeders, but they mainly filter feed.[2] They filter feed because they lack true tissues and organs, so they can not have a digestive system similar to other animals.[14][15] This sponge filter feeds by taking in water towards the base, filtering it to get the nutrients and food, and then expelling the leftover water out through the osculum.[16] They are omnivores as their diet consists of both small plants and animals.[3]
Reproduction
Sea sponges can reproduce both sexually and asexually. They often switch between the two seasonally, to best grow their populations and take up space on the reef.[7][17]
References
^Lieske, Ewald; Myers, Robert (2004). Coral reef guide. Red Sea. HarperCollins. p. 238. ISBN9780007741731.
^ abcSingh, Anshika; Thakur, Narsinh L. (22 December 2017). "Influence of spatial competitor on asexual reproduction of the marine sponge Cinachyrella cf. cavernosa (Porifera, Demospongiae)". Hydrobiologia. 809: 247–263. doi:10.1007/s10750-017-3470-2. S2CID3320898.
^Zilberberg, C.; Solé-Cava, A.M.; Klautau, M. (5 September 2006). "The extent of asexual reproduction in sponges of the genus Chondrilla (Demospongiae: Chondrosida) from the Caribbean and the Brazilian coasts". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 336 (2): 211–220. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2006.05.010.