Aplysina fistularis


Aplysina fistularis, commonly known as the yellow sponge or yellow tube sponge, is a species of sea sponge in the order Verongiida. Aplysina fistularis is a golden or orange-brown color with a conulose surface. The animal is abundant in the Caribbean, where it is commonly found in reefs of open water areas. This sponge was first described by the Prussian zoologist Peter Simon Pallas in 1766.

Description

Aplysina fistularis consists of tube-like structures that arise from a base. Each tube is rarely over 30 centimeters in clear water but can reach 50 centimeters in turbid-zone reefs. The sponge has wide oscula and thin walls with ridged surfaces. Unlike the related species Aplysina insularis, A. fistularis does not develop rope-like projections around its tubes, although it may show some tendrils branching off of them.