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sponges
text index | photo
index
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| Phylum Porifera |
| Melted
chocolate sponges Chondrilla australiensis* Family Chondrillidae updated Dec 11 Where seen? This rubbery sheet is commonly seen on our Northern shores, coating rocks and stones near the mid-water mark. People often carelessly step on them, not realising that they are animals. Features: 15cm-1m across or more. Rubbery, glossy and shiny, smooth sheets that coat hard surfaces in a thin layer. These include coral rubble, stones and boulders, as well as artificial walls and structures. Tiny holes (0.1cm) with a membranous lip are scattered on the surface. The holes can barely be seen when submerged, and not obvious when the sponge is out of water. It really looks like melted chocolate when it's exposed at low tide! Shades of grey, brown, greenish grey and black. Many creatures are often found living on them, including synaptid sea cucumbers and tiny shrimps. |
 Tuas, Jun 05 |
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 With synaptid sea cucumbers Changi, Jun 05 |
 With synaptid sea cucumbers Tuas, May 05 |
Melted chocolate sponges on Singapore shores
 Tiny sea anemone Changi, Jun 05 |
 Sea spider? Changi, Jun 05 |
 Close up of surface Tuas, May 05 |
 Pulau Semakau, Aug 08 |
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 Tiny holes with a membranous lip. |
more photos of melted chocolate ascidians on Singapore shores
northern shores | southern shores
*Species are difficult to positively identify without dissection and examination of internal parts.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.
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