Mozambique - 2006

Mozambique • Porifera, sponges

The identifications were only made on the basis of the photographs which is very hazardous for most of the species. As a consequence the Latin names might not be accurate.
The books used for the identification are listed: bibliography.

Following Lecointre, what we call "sponges", poriferans is not an homogeneous group, it's paraphyletic: the group contains its most recent common ancestor, but does not contain all the descendants of that ancestor... If you consider a familly, it's like having the parents, three children, their descendants but not the fourth one and its offspring.
So, we've got three groups : Demosponges, Hexactinellida and Calcarea. 90% of sponges are demosponges and its the only group illustrated here.
To get a basic knowledge on this group I would suggest Wikipedia.
Exhaustive data base on sponges: World Porifera database

Click on the pictures to get a closer view

PORIFERA, Demospongiae - sponges

Callyspongiidae
cf. Callyspongia sp.

Chalinida, cf. Haliclona sp. Sometimes you might find a frogfish in this sponge: Antennarius cf. commerson

Dictyonellidae
cf. Acanthella sp.

Dictyonellidae
Liosina sp.

Microcionidae
Clathria sp.

Microcionidae
Clathria sp.

Petrosiidae
Xestospongia cf. testudinaria (Lamarck, 1813), see also a picture of a stenopodid shrimp taken inside this sponge

Xestospongia sp. ? Plakortis sp. ?

A sponge ? Any idea ?

Mozambique
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Last update 17/10/06
© Copyright 2006 Sophie Valtat

Mozambique • Porifera, sponges The identifications were only made on the basis of the photographs which is very hazardous for most of the species. As a consequence the Latin names might not be accurate. The books used for the identification are listed: bibliography. Following Lecointre, what we call "sponges", poriferans is not an homogeneous group, it's paraphyletic: the group contains its most recent common ancestor, but does not contain all the descendants of that ancestor... If you consider a familly, it's like having the parents, three children, their descendants but not the fourth one and its offspring. So, we've got three groups : Demosponges, Hexactinellida and Calcarea. 90% of sponges are demosponges and its the only group illustrated here. To get a basic knowledge on this group I would suggest Wikipedia. Exhaustive data base on sponges: World Porifera database Click on the pictures to get a closer view
PORIFERA, Demospongiae - sponges
Callyspongiidae cf. Callyspongia sp.	Chalinida, cf. Haliclona sp. Sometimes you might find a frogfish in this sponge: Antennarius cf. commerson	Dictyonellidae cf. Acanthella sp.	Dictyonellidae Liosina sp.
Microcionidae Clathria sp.	Microcionidae Clathria sp.	Petrosiidae Xestospongia cf. testudinaria (Lamarck, 1813), see also a picture of a stenopodid shrimp taken inside this sponge	Xestospongia sp. ? Plakortis sp. ?
	A sponge ? Any idea ?
Mozambique Cnidaria • Mollusca • Annelida • Arthropoda • Echinodermata • Tunicata • Fish Home
Last update 17/10/06		© Copyright 2006 Sophie Valtat