DiscoverSpeciesOther invertebrates
Barrel sponge
Xestospongia testudinaria
- Usual depth5–60 m
- Water temperature23–30 °C
- Best monthsMay, September, and October
- How commonOccasional
About this species
Xestospongia testudinaria is a species of barrel sponge in the family Petrosiidae. More commonly known as Giant Barrel Sponges, they have the basic structure of a typical sponge. Their body is made of a reticulation of cells aggregate on a siliceous scaffold composed of small spikes called spicules. Water is taken into the inner chamber of the sponge through ostia. Flagellated choanocytes line the inner chamber and help generate water currents through the sponge.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Xestospongia testudinaria”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
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Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 17 records
- February: 18 records
- March: 9 records
- April: 23 records
- May: 32 records
- June: 10 records
- July: 12 records
- August: 19 records
- September: 43 records
- October: 38 records
- November: 23 records
- December: 9 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 5–60 m · Deepest record: 2,226.5 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 23–30 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Barrel sponge, Large barrel sponge, Turtleshell bath sponge, barrel sponge, Indo-Pacific Giant Barrel Sponge, large barrel sponge, turtleshell bath sponge
Names in 4 more languages
- German
- Badewannenschwamm, Großer Vasenschwamm
- Spanish
- Esponja gigante de barril
- French
- Éponge-barrique
- Thai
- ฟองน้ำครก
Other scientific names: Alcyonium testudinarium, Petrosia testudinaria, Reniera crateriformis, Reniera testudinaria
Similar species
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.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 523 open-data records from 1815 to 2022.
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