Anoxycalyx joubini explained

The giant volcano sponge (Anoxycalyx joubini) is a species of Antarctic sponge. It is one of the largest sponges in the world which can grow up to a diameter of 1.5 metres (5 feet) and 1.95 metres (6.5 feet) in height.^[1] The species may have an extremely long lifespan, with estimates of up to 15,000 years.^[2] A. joubini occurs in deeper waters than the similar species Cinachyra antarctica, which is also very long-lived. Antarctic sponges live at below the surface, in extremely cold temperatures and constant pressure. This may slow down their growth rate and other biological processes because one caught specimen of A. joubini did not show any growth in a span of 10 years.^[3]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Giant Volcano Sponge of Antarctica .
2. Gatti . Susanne . The role of sponges in high-Antarctic carbon and silicon cycling- a modelling approach (Die Rolle der Schwämme im hochantarktischen Kohlenstoff- und Silikatkreislauf - ein Modellierungsansatz) . Reports on Polar and Marine Research . 1 January 2002 . 124 pages . 10.2312/BzPM_0434_2002 . 16 February 2022.
3. Dayton . Paul K. . Kim . Stacy . Jarrell . Shannon C. . Oliver . John S. . Hammerstrom . Kamille . Fisher . Jennifer L. . O’Connor . Kevin . Barber . Julie S. . Robilliard . Gordon . Barry . James . Thurber . Andrew R. . Conlan . Kathy . Recruitment, Growth and Mortality of an Antarctic Hexactinellid Sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini . PLOS ONE . 27 February 2013 . 8 . 2 . e56939 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0056939 . 23460822 . 3584113 . free .