Ecionemia Explained

Ecionemia is a genus of sea sponges belonging to the family Ancorinidae.

This genus is characterized by a high density of siliceous spicules. Members of this genus are known to be eaten by hawksbill turtles.^[1]

Species

The following species are recognised in the genus Ecionemia:^[2]

• Ecionemia acervus Bowerbank, 1862
• Ecionemia alata (Dendy, 1924)
• Ecionemia arabica (Lévi, 1958)
• Ecionemia australiensis (Carter, 1883)
• Ecionemia baculifera (Kirkpatrick, 1903)
• Ecionemia cinerea Thiele, 1900
• Ecionemia demera (Laubenfels, 1934)
• Ecionemia densa Bowerbank, 1873
• Ecionemia nigra Sollas, 1888
• Ecionemia novaezealandiae (Dendy, 1924)
• Ecionemia obtusum Lendenfeld, 1907
• Ecionemia spinastra Lévi, 1958
• Ecionemia thielei Thomas, 1986
• Ecionemia walkeri (Laubenfels, 1954)

Notes and References

1. Meylan. Anne. Anne Meylan. 1988-01-12. Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass. Science. American Association for the Advancement of Science. 239. 4838. 393–395. 10.1126/science.239.4838.393. 1700236. 17836872.
2. Web site: WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Ecionemia Bowerbank, 1862. www.marinespecies.org. 2019-04-23.