Demospongiae |
Dictyoceratida |
Spongiidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Sessile; depth range 3 - 300 m (Ref. 124162). Subtropical; 45°N - 30°N, 10°W - 36°E (Ref. 126952)
Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean: from Berlengas, Portugal to Spain and France, north to Croatia, east to Syria.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Characterised by a growth form ranging from cup- to fan-shaped (elephant ear), surface finely conulose, with many oscula clustered inside the cup, and capable of reaching very large sizes. Wall is 5-10 mm in thickness. Large and irregularly-shaped inhalant pores and oscule clubs. Color: dark gray to brown (Refs. 126952, 125944).
A rare Mediterranean species, commercially exploited as bath sponge and its collection is regulated by Annex II of Barcelona Convention (Ref. 126952). Minimum depth from Ref. 138515. Found in a variety of habitats like sandy and rocky bottom, Posidonia meadows, sciaphilic algae and sponges, caves and overhangs (Refs. 126952, 124162), cliffs, reef flat, tunnels and crevices (Ref. 138515). Bathymetric range from 3 (Ref. 138515) to 300 meters (Ref. 124162).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Demospongiae are hermaphroditic. Life cycle: The zygote develops into parenchymella larva (free-swimming) before settling down on a substrate where it grows into a young sponge.
Dordevic, N., V. Macic and S. Petovic 2021 New records of rare species Spongia (Spongia) lamella (Schulze, 1879) (Porifera) in Montenegrin coast. Studia Marina 34(1):5-20. (Ref. 126952)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2 (Global))
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Abundance
Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Fishing Vulnerability
(Ref. 71543) |
(0 of 100). |
