sponges text index | photo index
Phylum Porifera
Photo index of sponges on Singapore shores
Branching or lumpy sponges*


Tangled sponge
Callyspongia samarensis

Terpios sp.
'Roti jala' sponge

Smooth sponge
green seaweed

Cladophoropsis vaucheriaeformis

Holey sponge
seaweed

Ceratodictyon
sp.

Higginsia sp.
Higgin's sponge
Stems 15-20cm long, 1cm in wide with holes along the length. The stems are often in a tangle. Bluish to olive green. Among coral rubble. Sometimes seen on some of our Southern shores. Bright orange long skinny strings about 0.2cm in diameter, in a tangled jumble that may be 20cm wide. Sometimes seen on Beting Bronok. About 20-30cm across, 'stems' about 1-2cm wide. Feels wooly, velvety, spongey or felt-like. No holes along the 'stems'. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on many of our Southern shores. About 20-30cm across, 'stems' about 1-2cm wide. Feels wooly, velvety, spongey or felt-like. With regularly spaced holes along the 'stems'. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. Fat flattened leaves or lobes (10-15cm). Covered with thin long hairs that traps sediments and hides the bright orange colour. Sometimes seen on Beting Bronok.


Yellow prickly
branching sponge

Pseudoceratina purpurea

Mustard sponge
Dactylospongia elegans

Daisy sponge
Coelocarteria
singaporense
 
Knobs or branches (8-12cm) from an encrusting base (20-30cm). Surface rubbery with small raised pointed bumps. Little holes spaced far apart. Yellow to olive. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. Short fingers (2-5cm) from an encrusting base (20-30cm). Surface rubbery with small raised pointed bumps. Large holes spaced far apart. Uniformly mustard, yellowm olive. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. 20cm. A central tube-like structure, encircled by finger-like extensions. Yellow, black, brown, greenish. On and among coral rubble, also rocks that stay submerged. Commonly seen on many of our shores. Knobs or branches (4-10cm) from an encrusting base. Small hole at the rounded tips. Chocolatey brown also yellow. On coral rubble Sometimes seen on our Southern shores.  


Purple
branching sponge

Callyspongia
sp.

Black
antler sponge

Haliclona
sp.

Tubular sponge
Haliclona
sp.

Spiky tubular sponge
Gelliodes
sp.

Lumpy pink sponge
Haliclona
cf baeri
Looks like a bunch of long stems, usually growing upright but sometimes sprawling horizontally. Each branch about 1-1.5cm thick and 10-15cm long with large regularly spaced holes, and rough texture. Purple to lilac. On stones and hard surfaces near the mid-water mark. Commonly seen on our Northern shores. About 20cm. Branches in all directions, tapering to elegant points. Each branch thick (about 3-4cm in diameter). Deep black. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 10-15cm wide. Narrow hollow tubes (4-6cm tall 1cm wide) packed closely together. In some, the tubes may have short spikes on the sides. Beige to pale blue. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on some undisturbed Northern shores. 10-20cm wide. Narrow hollow tubes (1cm wide) regularly ringed with large neat spikes, forming a star-like shape around the large hole at the tip of the tube. Colour lilac to bluish. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on some undisturbed Northern shores. 10-15cm in diameter. Encrusting with short hollow lumps, lumps may be tall so they are tubular. Bright pink. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on our undisturbed Northern shores.


Blue jorunna sponge
Neopetrosia
sp.

Lumpy green sponge
Haliclona
sp.

Lumpy purple sponge
Haliclona
sp.

Lumpy orange sponge
Haliclona
sp.

Chocolate sponge
Spheciospongia
cf. vagabunda
6-10cm. Encrusting with lumps, each lump with a large hole at the tip, surface texture rough. Bright electric blue. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on some of our Northern shores. 10-15cm. Encrusting with short hollow lumps, lumps may be tall so they are tubular. Colour pale green to olive. On coral rubble. Commonly seen on our undisturbed Northern shores. 10-15cm. Encrusting with short hollow lump. Colour bright purple. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our shores. 10-15cm. Encrusting with short hollow lump. Colour orange. On hard surfaces. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. 10-20cm wide. Irregular clump of smooth lumps or blunt tipped cones, some with large holes at the tips. Chocolate brown. On the ground at mid-water mark near seagrasses. Common on some of our Southern shores.


Brownie sponge
Hyattella tubaria

Champagne sponge
Callyspongia diffusa

SIlvery blue sponge
Lamellodysidea herbacea
   
10-15cm wide. Irregular clump of crumbly lumps or thick branches. Brown. Sometimes seen on some of our shores. A few short thick branches 6-8cm long, about 1-2cm wide. There may be a large shallow hole at the tip of a branch. Neon to dusky pink. Sometimes seen on some of our Southern shores. 10-15cm. Encrusting, prickly surface, often with flat projections. Usually pale greyish blue. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores.    


Orange
sprawling sponge

Clathria reinwardti

Thorny stem sponge
Gelliodes fibulata
   
Area to 30cm. Looks like thin spreading roots, with spikes, knobs and tubes along the length. Branches thin (about 2cm wide) tapering to points with holes along the length. Blue, green, yellow, purple. On hard surfaces near mid-water mark. Commonly seen on many of our Northern shores. 25-30cm. Looks like tree roots, branching sparsely along the surface, with knobs or fat spikes along the length. Branches 25-30cm long and 3-4cm thick. Bright orange. On coral rubble near seagrasses. Commonly seen on some of our Southern shores with seagrasses. Cluster of a few stems long (10-20cm), sparsely branched, cylindrical covered with long spiky 'thorns'. Colours blue or greenish blue. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores.    

*Sponge species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
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