A giant barrel sponge is an animal, not a plant.
COMPLETE SPECIES PROFILE
Giant barrel sponge
Xestospongia muta
One species, many connections.
Also known as: redwood of the reef, giant sponge
WHY IT MATTERS
One species, many connections.
Its filtering, long life, microbial partnerships, and internal spaces connect ocean currents with entire reef communities.
- Scientific name
- Xestospongia muta
- Animal group
- Invertebrate · Porifera · Demospongiae
- Environment
- Marine · Deep reef
PUBLIC-DOMAIN VISUAL RECORDS
Two additional perspectives
Together with the primary image, these records show behavior and habitat without covering the photographs with labels.
INTERACTIVE TAXONOMY
Interactive classification
Select any rank to understand what the classification means.
DID YOU KNOW?
Curiosities that reveal how it lives
Some individuals may live for centuries, earning the nickname “redwood of the reef.”
Water currents deliver oxygen and microscopic food through its body.
Its tissues host diverse microbes and its cavities provide habitat for other animals.
Where it lives
Caribbean and western Atlantic coral reefs, from shallow reefs to mesophotic depths.
How it lives
A stationary filter feeder that moves seawater through a network of pores, chambers, and canals.
Key adaptations
A large barrel-shaped body, strong water flow, and a flexible living structure allow efficient filtering and long-term growth.
Its connections
Its surface and cavities shelter brittle stars, squat lobsters, fishes, microbes, and other small reef organisms.
Pressures and protection
Warming, disease, sediment, pollution, and physical damage can affect sponge health and the communities that depend on it.