#aplysina

[herpsandbirds]

Stove Pipe Sponge (Aplysina archeri), family Aplysinidae, Bahamas

photograph by Julia Sumerling

[colorsoutofearth]

Yellow tube sponge (Aplysina fistularis)

Photo by Alex Mustard

[snototter]

[libutron]

Stove-Pipe sponges

The Stove-pipe sponge, Aplysina archeri, is characteristic by the large tubes it forms, conspicuous pink or purplish gray, up to 1.50 m long and a diameter of 10 cm near the end. The tubes' interiors are often cream colored, but always lighter than the exterior color.

Sometimes they grow single, but more often in large groups of up to 22 tubes, which normally are in contact with each other only at their base. The surface is though and shows much relief.

If you dive, you can find these beautiful tubular sponges from the Caribbean Sea to Venezuela.

[Animalia - Porifera - Demospongiae - Verongida - Aplysinidae - Aplysina -  Aplysina archeri]

References: [1] - [2]

Photo credit: ©Peter Nijenhuis | Locality: Tolo dive site, Santa Cruz, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (Caribbean)