sponges text index | photo index
Phylum Porifera
'Hairy olives' sponge
Stelletta clavosa*
Family Ancorinidae
updated Oct 2016
Where seen? This tiny spherical olive-coloured and olive-shaped sponges with fine filaments are sometimes seen sprinkled on coral rubble or even stuck on other sponges. This sponge is highly tolerant of silt and can be found on most reefs.

Features:
About 2cm in diameter, spherical covered with short, fine spines. May be slightly flattened at the top. There is a single large hole at the top. Called the oscule, this is where water is expelled from the tiny sponge. Colour usually dull olive green, may also be yellow.


Terumbu Berkas, Jan 10

Beting Bemban Besar, Mar 12


Growing on Brown prickly sponge.
Terumbu Bemban, Jun 10

Growing on Orange sprawling sponge.
Terumbu Pempang Darat, Jun 10

Growing on Yellow prickly branching sponge..
Pulau Semakau (East), Jun 25


Cyrene Reef, Jul 10

Pulau Hantu, Apr 10

Common hairy crab eating one?
Terumbu Pempang Tengah, Apr 12

*Sponge species are difficult to positively identify without close examination.
On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display.

'Hairy olives' sponges on Singapore shores
On wildsingapore flickr

Other sightings on Singapore shores


Pulau Jong, Aug 20
Photo shared by Joleen Chan on facebook.


Pulau Salu, Jun 10

Pulau Senang, Jun 10

Terumbu Berkas, May 10

Links

References

  • Lim Swee Cheng, Nicole de Voogd and Tan Koh Siang. 2008. A Guide to Sponges of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre. 173pp.
 
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