Sponge · glass sponge

Venus’ flower basket

Euplectella aspergillum

PacificAtlanticIndianSouthernArctic A single ocean

Depth

100 to 1,000 m, mostly below 500 m

Size

Often 10 to 30 cm tall

Diet

Particles and microorganisms filtered from the water

Zone

The sea floor · 200 – 3,500 m

Key facts

• Its skeleton is made of glass: a lattice of fine silica needles fused together.
• A pair of shrimp gets inside when they are very small. Once too big, they remain trapped there for life.
• In Japan, it is given as a wedding gift, a symbol of love until death.
• Its glass needles conduct light like optical fibers, and they can even be tied in knots without breaking.

Verified sources

1. Animal Diversity Web, Euplectella aspergillum
2. Australian Museum, Deepsea Glass Sponge
3. Scientific American, Sea Sponge Inspires Better Fiber-Optic Cables

In the game: To observe

In the same zone

Vent eelpoutThermarces cerberus Eyeless vent shrimpRimicaris exoculata Deep-reef white coralDesmophyllum pertusum (formerly Lophelia pertusa) Azores vent musselBathymodiolus azoricus MonkfishLophius piscatorius Bird’s nest spongePheronema carpenteri