Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Wolf E. Arntz, Deutschland
Info
Chupa Chups is a Spanish confectionery manufacturer that specializes in lollipops. The shape of this marine sponge is immediately reminiscent of the well-known lollipop, and was thus an instant inspiration for its name.
Sponges are among the most common benthic organisms on the Antarctic seafloor, i.e. organisms that live near or in contact with the seafloor.
There are many of them, and they are very diverse, but today we want to introduce you from one particular species that is almost as sweet as dessert the "Chupa Chups sponge".
Stylocordyla chupachups inhabits horizontal or slightly sloping hard bottoms covered with biogenic substrates
This sponge was discovered in 2010 by a group of researchers from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) and the Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB) in cold Arctic waters
The researchers chose the name "Chupa Chups sponge" in honor of their children, who suffer the most from the consequences of months of absence from mothers and fathers on remote, oceanographic expeditions.
The first specimen of the "Chupa Chups sponge," whose scientific name is Stylocordyla chupachups, was collected in 2000 during a campaign in which ICM researcher Josep Maria Gili participated. "At first we thought it was another species common in Antarctic waters, Stylocordila borealis, but then we realized it was a species that no one had described before."
Sponges make up about 75% of the biomass of benthic communities in Antarctic seas, making them one of the most important groups of invertebrates. Most species are found between 100 and 200 meters depth, where they can form mats hundreds of meters long.
The "Chupa Chups sponge" in particular prefers to settle on horizontal or sloping surfaces at depths of 150-300 meters. Like most Antarctic sponges, it is characterized by long bundles of silica spines that are of no use in other species, but in this case help separate the sponges from the seafloor and allow them to catch food falling through the water column more easily than other species.
In particular, the "Chupa Chups sponge" prefers to settle on horizontal or sloping surfaces at depths of 150-300 meters. Like most Antarctic sponges, it is characterized by long bundles of silica spines that are of no use in other species, but in this case help separate the sponges from the seafloor and allow them to capture food falling through the water column more easily than other species.
The reason for these structures is that they take up a large amount of silica, which causes them to form much more skeleton than they need, so much that it leaks out of their bodies.
The species name refers to the typical Spanish candy ''Chupa Chups'', with which the sponge shares the shape.
Sponges are among the most common benthic organisms on the Antarctic seafloor, i.e. organisms that live near or in contact with the seafloor.
There are many of them, and they are very diverse, but today we want to introduce you from one particular species that is almost as sweet as dessert the "Chupa Chups sponge".
Stylocordyla chupachups inhabits horizontal or slightly sloping hard bottoms covered with biogenic substrates
This sponge was discovered in 2010 by a group of researchers from the Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM) and the Centre d'Estudis Avançats de Blanes (CEAB) in cold Arctic waters
The researchers chose the name "Chupa Chups sponge" in honor of their children, who suffer the most from the consequences of months of absence from mothers and fathers on remote, oceanographic expeditions.
The first specimen of the "Chupa Chups sponge," whose scientific name is Stylocordyla chupachups, was collected in 2000 during a campaign in which ICM researcher Josep Maria Gili participated. "At first we thought it was another species common in Antarctic waters, Stylocordila borealis, but then we realized it was a species that no one had described before."
Sponges make up about 75% of the biomass of benthic communities in Antarctic seas, making them one of the most important groups of invertebrates. Most species are found between 100 and 200 meters depth, where they can form mats hundreds of meters long.
The "Chupa Chups sponge" in particular prefers to settle on horizontal or sloping surfaces at depths of 150-300 meters. Like most Antarctic sponges, it is characterized by long bundles of silica spines that are of no use in other species, but in this case help separate the sponges from the seafloor and allow them to catch food falling through the water column more easily than other species.
In particular, the "Chupa Chups sponge" prefers to settle on horizontal or sloping surfaces at depths of 150-300 meters. Like most Antarctic sponges, it is characterized by long bundles of silica spines that are of no use in other species, but in this case help separate the sponges from the seafloor and allow them to capture food falling through the water column more easily than other species.
The reason for these structures is that they take up a large amount of silica, which causes them to form much more skeleton than they need, so much that it leaks out of their bodies.
The species name refers to the typical Spanish candy ''Chupa Chups'', with which the sponge shares the shape.
