Callyspongia crassa

Callyspongia crassa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Porifera
Class:	Demospongiae
Order:	Haplosclerida
Family:	Callyspongiidae
Genus:	Callyspongia
Species:	C. crassa
Binomial name
	Callyspongia crassa; Keller, 1889
Synonyms
	Sclerochalina crassa Keller, 1889;

Callyspongia crassa, commonly known as prickly tube-sponge, is a species of sponge found from the Red Sea to the Seychelles. Its wide flexible brown tube with exterior protuberances can appear as a single tube or as clusters of tubes and can reach up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) in size.^[1]^[2]^[3] Like many other sea sponges, it is primarily used for marine drugs as they have many bioactive components and properties.^[4] They also play an important role in marine reef and benthic communities, as they constantly filter water and act as habitats for smaller organisms.^[5]^[6] As sea sponges, they have the ability to reproduce both sexually and asexually.^[7]

Naming and taxonomy

The name crassa derives from the Latin word crassus meaning solid, thick, fat, or dense.^[8] Its common name, the prickly tube-sponge, comes from its physical appearance as it is a tube sponge and it is nearly completely covered in spines.^[9] It was previously named Sclerochalina crassa, but was eventually moved to the genus Callyspongia.^[2]^[10]

The genus Callyspongia belongs to the family Callyspongiidae. This family contains four genera: Arenosclera, Callyspongia, Dactylia, and Siphonochalina with Callyspongia being the largest and containing over 180 species.^[11] They are under the phylum Porifera, making them a sponge. Specifically, they are Demosponges, which is the most diverse class in the phylum Porifera.^[12]

Description

The prickly tube-sponge is a large, flexible, brown, sometimes red, tube that can be found as a singular tube or as a cluster. It has been known to reach up to 50 centimeters (~20 inches) with specimens as small as 2 mm having been found, but it typically has an average diameter of 30 centimeters (~12 inches). Most of its surface is covered with spines or spine-like protrusions which tend to taper away towards the upper part of the tube.^[2]^[4]^[9]

Gallery

Utility

The main use of these sponges is for marine drugs.^[4] Many species of sponge are used for marine drugs due to their bioactive components, many of which are used for antiseptic agents.^[4]^[9] Callyspongia crassa has over 20 compounds that attribute to its medical content. Such compounds contain many biological properties such as anti-oxidant, decrease blood cholesterol, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-microbial, cancer-preventive, hypercholesterolemia, nematicide, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, pesticide, lubricant, anti-androgenic, flavor, anti-bacterial, anti-tumor cytotoxic effects, anti-arthritic, anti-asthma, diuretic, and anti-diabetic abilities.^[9]

Sea sponges are also of important use in the wild. They play an important role in nutrient recycling and in filtering the water^[5] which is useful for many of the reefs that they live in as clearer water makes sunlight more accessible for photosynthesizing organisms in the same area.^[13] Many sponges also serve as a habitat for a variety of other organisms. They can serve as microhabitats,^[5] with conditions different from the larger surrounding area. Tube sponges specifically, often have small fish and other inhabitants living inside of the tubes.^[6]

Ecology

Habitat

These sponges are native to the Red Sea. Samples have been found in the southern Red Sea off the coasts of Sudan and Eritrea^[2] and in the northern Red Sea in the Gulf of Aqaba at Eilat.^[4]^[9] They are known to live in marine reef and marine benthic habitats, relatively close to shore.^[2] They have been found between a depth of 1–30 m, but they are more abundant at deeper depths (15–30 m).^[4] They live in waters with high salinity and warm temperatures, with water in the Red Sea never dropping below 21 °C (70 °F).^[10]

Feeding

Callyspongia crassa are filter feeders and suspension feeders, but they mainly filter feed.^[2] They filter feed because they lack true tissues and organs, so they can not have a digestive system similar to other animals.^[14]^[15] This sponge filter feeds by taking in water towards the base, filtering it to get the nutrients and food, and then expelling the leftover water out through the osculum.^[16] They are omnivores as their diet consists of both small plants and animals.^[3]

Reproduction

Sea sponges can reproduce both sexually and asexually. They often switch between the two seasonally, to best grow their populations and take up space on the reef.^[7]^[17]