Invertebrate
Venus's Flower Basket
Euplectella aspergillumAlso known as Glass Sponge, Venus' Flower-Basket
These intricate deep-sea glass sponges construct a delicate, cylindrical skeleton of pure silica that channels deep-ocean currents to filter food. They host a lifelong symbiotic partnership with a pair of small shrimp that enter the lattice as larvae and grow too large to ever escape. This permanent union has made their dried skeletons a traditional symbol of eternal marriage in several East Asian cultures.
Deep-SeaGlass-SpongeSymbiotic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyMarine snow, Plankton, Bacteria
Predators
- Sea stars
- Nudibranchs
- Deep-sea crabs
ThreatsDeep-sea bottom trawling, ocean acidification, and deep-sea mining
HabitatsDeep-ocean benthic zones, typically anchored to muddy or rocky seafloors below 500 meters
Life spanHundreds of years
Classification
- FamilyEuplectellidae
- SpeciesEuplectella aspergillum
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.
- What to notice
- Recognized by its curved, hollow, grid-like white cylinder anchored to the deep seafloor.
- Support conservation
- Support marine conservation initiatives that restrict bottom trawling in deep-water glass sponge habitats.
Responsible observation
- Submersible Observation: View these delicate structures only via remotely operated vehicles to avoid damaging their fragile glass lattices.
- Skeletal Preservation: Handle dried museum specimens with extreme care, as the glass spicules can splinter and puncture skin.
Image unavailableSymbiont Close Relative
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