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Barrel
sponge
Xestospongia testudinaria*
Family Petrosiidae
updated Dec 11
Where
seen?
This maroon barrel-shaped sponge is sometimes seen on many of our
shores, near and in reefs.
Features: Large ones
have a deep cavity in the centre so they are generally vase- or barrel-shaped.
The inside of the cavity has an uneven and rough texture. The outside
may be smooth, bumpy or with fingers and ridges. Younger, smaller
ones may be tall hollow tubes. Often several 'vases' of various sizes
and shapes are found together emerging from what appears to be a common
base. Those on the intertidal are about 10-20cm in diameter and about
10-20cm tall. But it is said that those found in deeper waters can
grow to more than 1m tall. It is maroon to pinkish and the 'opening'
of the barrel
may be paler to white.
The outside of the sponge is often covered with tiny beige Spionid
sponge worms (Family Spionidae).
Sometimes synaptid
sea cucumbers are also seen draped on the outside.
It it not correct to refer to this sponge as the Neptune's cup sponge,
which is another much larger sponge (Cliona patera). |
Chek Jawa,
Jan 02

Shapes range from fingers, hollow tubes
to large vase shapes.
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Large animals
find shelter inside the 'vase'
Beting Bronok, Jun 03
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Barrel
sponges on Singapore shores
Pulau Semakau,
Aug 08
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Inside the cavity,
texture is uneven and rough.
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St. John's
Island, Apr 12
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Inside the cavity,
texture is uneven and rough.
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Tuas, Aug
04

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Tuas, May
05

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Tuas, Aug
04

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*Species are difficult
to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of
display.
| Links
References
- Lim Swee
Cheng, Nicole de Voogd and Tan Koh Siang. 2008. A
Guide to Sponges of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre.
173pp.
- Chou, L.
M., 1998. A
Guide to the Coral Reef Life of Singapore. Singapore Science
Centre. 128 pages.
- Gosliner,
Terrence M., David W. Behrens and Gary C. Williams. 1996. Coral
Reef Animals of the Indo-Pacific: Animal life from Africa to Hawai’I
exclusive of the vertebrates
Sea Challengers. 314pp.
- Allen, Gerald
R and Roger Steene. 2002. Indo-Pacific
Coral Reef Field Guide
.
Tropical Reef Research. 378pp.
- Lim, S.,
P. Ng, L. Tan, & W. Y. Chin, 1994. Rhythm of the Sea: The Life
and Times of Labrador Beach. Division of Biology, School of
Science, Nanyang Technological University & Department of Zoology,
the National University of Singapore. 160 pp.
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