Aplysina cavernicola
Aplysina cavernicola | |
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A colony off the coast of Mykonos, Greece | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Demospongiae |
Order: | Verongiida |
Family: | Aplysinidae |
Genus: | Aplysina |
Species: | A. cavernicola
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Binomial name | |
Aplysina cavernicola (Vacelet, 1959)[1]
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Synonyms | |
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Aplysina cavernicola is a species of sponge in the family Aplysinidae. It is native to the Mediterranean Sea where it grows in caves and under overhangs.[2]
Description
Aplysina cavernicola forms clumps that may be up to 30 cm (12 in) across. It has a base that adheres to a rock or other hard surface, out of which project a number of finger-like processes up to 6 cm (2.4 in) long and 2 cm (0.8 in) in diameter. The surface is sparsely covered with small conical protrusions, which are caused by the tips of horny fibres embedded in the tissues. There are no
Ecology
This sponge is a hermaphrodite; ciliated larvae known as parenchymella larvae are released into the water and soon settle in a suitable location and undergo metamorphosis into juvenile sponges.[3]
This sponge accumulates brominated isoxazoline alkaloids in its tissues at concentrations of up to 10% of its dry body weight. By incorporating these biologically active compounds into experimental diets, it has been shown in feeding trials that they are distasteful to the sphinx blenny (Blennius sphinx), a polyphagous Mediterranean fish, while other sponges are readily eaten. Certain metabolic derivatives of these isoxazolines, such as dienone and aeroplysinin, are not distasteful to the fish, but may have anti-microbial properties that protect the sponge from bacterial pathogens.[4] This sponge also bioaccumulates radionuclides, and has been used as a model organism to study the presence of isotopes such as americium-241 in seawater.[5]
References
- ^ van Soest, Rob W.M. (2020). "Aplysina cavernicola (Vacelet, 1959)". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ^ a b "Aplysina cavernicola (Vacelet, 1959)" (in French). DORIS. Retrieved 19 February 2020.
- ISBN 978-81-315-0104-7.)
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link - PMID 15018063.
- PMID 26556307.