Millipede Sponge [Chondrocladia grandis]
Description
The Millipede sponge, also known as the Giant Cladorhizid sponge, is a deep-sea sponge found in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean. It gets its name from its long, thin, millipede-like branches. It lives at depths of about 8800 feet, and like other Chondrocladia sponges, it is carnivorous. Its branches are covered with hook-like spicules which it uses to capture small prey. The prey is then enveloped in a thin membrane where it is slowly digested.
Taxonomy
| Phylum |
Sponges
Porifera
|
|---|---|
| Class |
Demospongiae
Demospongiae
|
| Order |
Tetractinellida
Tetractinellida
|
| Family |
Carnivorous Sponges
Cladorhizidae
|
| Genus |
Chondrocladia
Chondrocladia
|