Clathria cervicornis

(Thiele 1903)

Red Finger Sponge, Red Rope Sponge

Range: Western Pacific Ocean

Natural Environment: Inhabits reef ledges, caves and crevices in areas where current is strong.

Aquarium Suitability: Not collected for the home aquarium trade.

Best left in the wild.

Note: For a photo of this sponge, visit the Baensch Marine Atlas Vol. 2, page 73.

Taxonomy: Subphylum Cellularia, Class Demospongiae, Subclass Ceractinomorpha, Order: Poecilosclerida, Suborder Microcionina

FYI: Sponges posses no nervous, digestive or excretory systems, and feed by filtering suspended bacteria and fine detritus. Strong water movement is vital to almost all, not only for carrying food to these sessile creatures but also to carry waste/unused matter away. In fact, a sponge the size of a baseball can filter about fifty gallons of water per hour!

Was previously identified as Rhaphidophlus cervicornis.