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| sponges text index | photo index |
| Phylum Porifera |
| Photo
index of sponges on Singapore shores Encrusting sponges |
| Very thin, but broad 20cm or more, fragile, smooth glossy encrusting sheets. Distinctive white 'veins'. Orange. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. | 15cm or more. Rubbery, smooth glossy sheets coating stones, rocks. Greyish brown. Rocky shore and coral rubble. Commonly seen on many of our shores. | 20cm or more, rubbery encrusting sheets. Small holes spaced far apart with pale rings. Reddish brown. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our northern shores. | 20cm or more, rubbery encrusting sheets, sometimes with irregular lumps and folds. Tiny holes spaced far apart. Blue to green. On coral rubble. Often seen on our Southern shores. | 20cm or more, rubbery encrusting sheets, sometimes with irregular lumps and folds. Tiny holes spaced far apart. Blue to green. On coral rubble. Often seen on our Southern shores. |
| 10-20cm, rubbery encrusting sheets, sometimes with irregular lumps and folds. Holes not obvious out of water. A wide range of colours. Sometimes seen on Northern shores. | 10-20cm or more. Smooth and velvety (not rubbery). Flat layer with irregular lumps and folds. Holes at the top of folds. Usually golden brown. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on some of our Southern shores. | 8-10cm. Prickly surface, thinly encrusting or tree-like branching, with small holes about 0.5cm in diameter. Bright or pale orange. Rocky shores, rubble. Sometimes seen on our Northern shores. | 10-15cm. Encrusting, prickly surface, the prickles forming clusters or ridges. Usually pale greyish blue. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. | 10-15cm, crumbly encrusting sheets, rough texture. Holes not obvious out of water. Yellow, green, blue. Sometimes seen on Northern shores. |
| 10-15cm. Encrusting, prickly surface, often with flat projections. Usually pale greyish blue. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. | Knobs or branches (8-12cm) from an encrusting base (20-30cm). Surface rubbery with small raised pointed bumps. Little holes spaced far apart. Yellow to olive. On coral rubble. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. | Knobs or branches (4-10cm) from an encrusting base. Small hole at the rounded tips. Chocolatey brown. On coral rubble Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. | Clusters of sucker-like disks (0.2-1cm) from coral or snail shells. Orange. Sometimes seen on our Southern shores. |
| Sponge species are difficult to positively identify without close examination. On this website, they are grouped by external features for convenience of display. |
Not all encrusting lifeforms are sponges
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