DiscoverSpeciesOther invertebrates
Purple Moon Sponge
Cinachyrella tenuiviolacea
- Usual depth12–32 m
- Water temperature24–25 °C
- Best monthsJanuary, April, and June
- How commonRare
Photo credit: (c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 3 records
- February: 0 records
- March: 1 records
- April: 5 records
- May: 0 records
- June: 4 records
- July: 0 records
- August: 3 records
- September: 1 records
- October: 1 records
- November: 0 records
- December: 1 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 12–32 m · Deepest record: 31.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 24–25 °C
Photos
(c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
Names and classification
- English
- Purple Moon Sponge
Other scientific names: Cinachyra tenuiviolacea
Similar species
Golf Ball SpongeCinachyrella australiensis
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 12 open-data records from 1979 to 1979.
- Species data updated November 1, 2026.
Log what you see on your next dive
The free DiveHive diver app keeps your logbook with every sighting and shows what lives at the site you dive next.