Species · GBIF taxon 5180237
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
- diet
- Marine snow, plankton, and microscopic organic particles
- family
- Euplectellidae
- threats
- Deep-sea bottom trawling, ocean acidification, and deep-sea mining
- life Span
- Hundreds of years
NE
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Extremely vulnerable to physical destruction from deep-sea bottom trawling and mining, taking centuries to recover.
Support marine conservation initiatives that restrict bottom trawling in deep-water glass sponge habitats.- 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.