More than 2200 species of the wild flora and fauna photographed in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, Mexico and the surrounding area.
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Sponges of Zihuatanejo
PHYLUM PORIFERA
Blue Tube Sponge
Haliclona caerulea
-Demosponges (Class Demospongiae)
-Subclass Heteroscleromorpha
-Order Haplosclerida
Porifera, commonly known as sponges, are simple, aquatic animals. Sponges have a porous body, with numerous small openings (pores) that allow water to flow through. This water flow is crucial for feeding, respiration, and waste removal. Most sponges are marine, living in a variety of environments from shallow coastal waters to deep seas.
Description
• Haliclona caerulea is a marine sponge in the family Chalinidae, class Demospongiae. It commonly forms branching, tubular or vase-like structures, often with a blue, lavender, grey, or pale violet colour. Its body is porous and supported by a framework of silica spicules connected by spongin fibres. Its colour and growth form can vary with environmental conditions.
Range
• This species occurs in tropical and subtropical marine waters, particularly in the western Atlantic and Caribbean, and is also recorded in other warm-water regions. It is found in the waters of Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, and the surrounding area.
Habitat
• Haliclona caerulea inhabits shallow coastal waters, including coral reefs, rocky shores, and sheltered lagoons. It attaches to hard substrates such as rocks, coral rubble, and submerged structures, where water flow supplies food particles.
Diet
• Haliclona caerulea is a filter feeder that draws water through its porous body and captures bacteria, microscopic plankton, and suspended organic particles. Some of its nutritional needs may also be supported by dissolved organic matter absorbed from the surrounding water.