Encrusting sponge

Crellomima mehqisinpekonuta

Bright orange thinly encrusting sponge. Its surface has irregularly spaced holes (oscules) which are surrounded by star shaped channels. Between these the entire surface is covered with small holes <0.5mm in diameter (pore sieves).

Authority

Goodwin, Dinn, Nefedova, Nijhof, Murillo, Nozères, 2021

Classification Details

Phylum: Porifera (sponges); Class: Demospongiae (siliceous sponges).

Habitat

Found growing over bedrock. This species has only recently been scientifically described and is known from Deer Island in New Brunswick and Brier Island in Nova Scotia but is likely to be more widespread. It has been found in depths of up to 21 metres.

Diet

Sponges feed on small particles in the seawater. 80% of their diet is bacteria-sized particles (<0.5 micrometres in diameter). They suck seawater into a network of canals in their body using a current generated by cells called choanocytes. The choanocytes also capture the food particles.

Reproduction

Hermaphrodites – individuals are both male and female. Individuals release sperm into the water column. It is then sucked up by another sponge and used to fertilize its eggs. The sponge then broods embryos in its body tissue until they develop into free-swimming larvae that are released into the seawater. After a few days in the seawater, they settle and develop into adult sponges.

Fun Facts

The scientific name of this species was provided by the Peskotomuhkati language committee. It is from Peskotomuhkati ‘Mehqi-sinpekonut’ meaning something reddish orange (animate) that gets water squeezed out of it. The type locality (where it was discovered) is in the traditional territory of the Peskotomuhkati nation.

References

Goodwin C (2017) Field guide to the sponges of the Bay of Fundy. Huntsman Marine Science Centre. Available from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/319433507_Field_Guide_to_Sponges_of_the_Bay_of_Fundy.

Goodwin C, Dinn C, Nefedova E, Nijhof F, Murillo FJ, Nozères C (2021) Two new species of encrusting sponge (Porifera, Family Crellidae) from eastern Canada. Canadian Jounrnal of Zoology 99, 760–772 https://doi.org/10.1139/cjz-2021-0041