Hardhead sponge [Spongia officinalis]
Description
Spongia officinalis, commonly known as hardhead sponge, is a commercially valuable sponge species. It is found in the Mediterranean Sea and parts of the Atlantic Ocean. It has a hard, calcareous skeleton and can grow up to a meter in diameter. Its color varies from black to dark brown. The hardhead sponge is a filter feeder and has a crucial role in nutrient cycling in marine ecosystems.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Sponges
Porifera
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Demospongiae
Demospongiae
|
| Order |
Dictyoceratida
Dictyoceratida
|
| Family |
Spongiidae
Spongiidae
|
| Genus |
Spongia
Spongia
|