The stove-pipe sponge is a large, tube-forming marine invertebrate belonging to the phylum Porifera, forming iconic purple-grey tubular structures up to 1.5 metres tall on Caribbean coral reef walls and slopes. Sponges are among the most ancient multicellular animals on Earth, with a fossil record extending over 600 million years, and they play an irreplaceable role in reef ecosystems by filtering enormous volumes of seawater — a single sponge can filter 20,000 times its own volume of water daily, removing bacteria, dissolved organic matter, and particles. Despite lacking true tissues, organs, or a nervous system, they coordinate complex filter-feeding behaviour through chemical signalling.
About the Sponge
Aplysina archeri
Advertisement
⚡ Speed Comparison
📸 Photo Gallery
💡 Fun Facts
01
Sponges lack true tissues and organs — their body plan has barely changed in 600 million years of evolution.
02
A single large sponge can filter up to 1,000 litres of seawater per day, removing 90% of bacteria present.
03
If a sponge is forced through a fine sieve, the dispersed cells will reaggregate and reform a functional sponge.
04
Some deep-sea sponges, including the glass sponge Monorhaphis chuni, are estimated to live for up to 11,000 years.
05
Sponges host complex microbiomes, with up to 35% of their body mass consisting of resident bacteria and archaea.
📍 Where to Find This Animal
Habitat Types:
Coral Reef
🛒 Sponge Related Gear
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Join the Conversation
Share your thoughts about the Sponge