Euplectella
Sign in to saveEuplectella is a genus of glass sponges which includes the well-known Venus' Flower Basket. Glass sponges have a skeleton made up of silica spicules that can form geometric patterns. These animals are most commonly found on muddy sea bottoms in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are sessile organisms and do not move once attached to a rock. They can be found at depths between 100 m and 1000 m but are most commonly found at depths greater than 500 m.
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7 sectionsContents
- Anatomy
- Reproduction
- Diet
- Life cycle
- Species
- References
- Further reading
Euplectella is a genus of glass sponges which includes the well-known Venus' Flower Basket. Glass sponges have a skeleton made up of silica spicules that can form geometric patterns. These animals are most commonly found on muddy sea bottoms in the Western Pacific and Indian Oceans. They are sessile organisms and do not move once attached to a rock. They can be found at depths between 100 m and 1000 m but are most commonly found at depths greater than 500 m.
== Anatomy == Euplectella is a member of the class Sclerospongiae or glass sponges. The body shape of Euplectella is cylindrical and vase-like with a hole located at the top of the cylinder structure. This tubular shape is referred to as asconoid. The inner structure of this animal is covered by a layer of choanocytes. These sponges are anchored to the seafloor by thousands of spicules, long glassy fibers that are covered with recurved barbs. Spicules provide high beam strength support for anchoring and strengthening the structure of this animal. The skeleton is made of silica that is arranged in cylindrical lattice patterns. These patterns enable flexibility and resilience to damage.