OP
KidK9
Contributor
Tom, those scientific names really help. I totally appreciate everyone's help here.
Can anyone identify these for me?
- Thread starter KidK9
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maractwin
Contributor
I disagree about the 2nd one being branching tube sponges. They are too smooth for that. More likely Agelas conifera "brown tube sponge" in the Humann book.
OP
KidK9
Contributor
Yeah, I dont have the Humann coral book, so I'm at a loss for that one. Anyone else?
According to Humann, one of the determining factors between yellow and brown is the presence or lack of branches.
The yellow tube tends to have branches at shallower depths. I am inclined to agree that it is a Brown tube sponge Agelas conifera due to a lack of these branches.
Humann's note on the yellow sponges I find interesting and wonder how he discovered this... Yellow tube sponges will secrete a purple dye that will stain skin for days if squeezed.
I am not advocating squeezing sponges to aid in identification.
TwoBit
The yellow tube tends to have branches at shallower depths. I am inclined to agree that it is a Brown tube sponge Agelas conifera due to a lack of these branches.
Humann's note on the yellow sponges I find interesting and wonder how he discovered this... Yellow tube sponges will secrete a purple dye that will stain skin for days if squeezed.
I am not advocating squeezing sponges to aid in identification.
TwoBit
maractwin
Contributor
BTW, a couple people have been referring to sponges as corals. They are very different creatures.
Sponges are the most primitive animals. As a general rule, they have one (or more) large openings that they pump water out of (the ex-current siphon), and many microscopic openings that they draw water in through (the in-current siphons). While many have the texture we're familiar with from kitchen sponges (nearly always a synthetic plastic these days), a number of them have hard outer surfaces. Some are mildly poisonous and will sting you if you touch them.
Corals are a couple of steps up the evolutionary chain. They generally form colonies of small individuals (polyps) each with a mouth and circle of tentacles, usually embedded in a connecting tissue of some sort. Some have hard skeletons underneath the living tissue, others (soft corals) do not. Most corals can sting, though some are very mild whereas others (like fire corals) you will certainly feel.
If you're trying to use the Humann books to identify these creatures, there's a whole book dedicated to corals, whereas sponges are just the first part of the creature book.
-Mark
Sponges are the most primitive animals. As a general rule, they have one (or more) large openings that they pump water out of (the ex-current siphon), and many microscopic openings that they draw water in through (the in-current siphons). While many have the texture we're familiar with from kitchen sponges (nearly always a synthetic plastic these days), a number of them have hard outer surfaces. Some are mildly poisonous and will sting you if you touch them.
Corals are a couple of steps up the evolutionary chain. They generally form colonies of small individuals (polyps) each with a mouth and circle of tentacles, usually embedded in a connecting tissue of some sort. Some have hard skeletons underneath the living tissue, others (soft corals) do not. Most corals can sting, though some are very mild whereas others (like fire corals) you will certainly feel.
If you're trying to use the Humann books to identify these creatures, there's a whole book dedicated to corals, whereas sponges are just the first part of the creature book.
-Mark
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