Species · GBIF taxon 2249203
Orange Elephant Ear Sponge
Agelas clathrodesAlso known as Orange Elephant-ear Sponge, Orange Fan Sponge, Lumpy Orange Sponge
This striking marine sponge forms massive, bright reddish-orange structures that resemble giant folded ears, thick fans, or irregular lobes along Caribbean reef slopes. It functions as a vital living filter, pumping massive volumes of seawater through its porous body to extract microscopic food particles. Its complex, cavernous interior provides critical shelter for a diverse community of small reef invertebrates and fish.
MarineReef-dwellingFilter-feeder
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Bacteria
- Phytoplankton
- Dissolved organic carbon
Predators
- Hawksbill Sea Turtle
- Angelfish
- Nudibranchs
ThreatsOcean warming, sedimentation, physical damage from anchors and divers
HabitatsCoral reefs, rocky ledges, and deep reef slopes
Life spanDecades to potentially over a century
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAgelasidae
- SpeciesAgelas clathrodes
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Maintain buoyancy: Avoid touching or kicking the sponge, as its structure is fragile and grows very slowly.
- Look for symbionts: Peer closely into its folds to spot tiny crabs, worms, or gobies seeking shelter.
Predator "Hawksbill Turtle" by Tchami is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Jay Brasher, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jay Brasher · cc-by
Image unavailableClose Relative
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