Aphrocallistes
vastus 8 mm juvenile on dead A. vastus base
at Christmas
Pt.
At some localities
such as Senanus Reef in Saanich Inlet we have found few
individuals smaller than
30 cm in size suggesting the recruitment rate is very low.
For example, two divers looked for juveniles (<10cm) for fifteen
minutes |
|
 |
| |
 |
-
However, at Christmas Pt. (11 km to the south) 35
juveniles were found in 17 minutes.
-
The low recruitment at Senanus Reef may
be reflected in the finding of embryos only once despite
diligent searches since the early 1980s (Leys et al
2007)
|
| |
“Drip” from osculum of a Cloud Sponge
In the early
spring of 2003 divers found what appeared to be a long
“drip” of soft tissue from the edge of the osculum or
exhaust opening in two sponges. A diver returned to one of
the drips two weeks later and noted that it had an
additional bulge midway along the “drip”. Could this be an
example of asexual reproduction by budding ? It is
reminiscent of buds found in some distantly related sponges
(Tethya sp. and Polymastia sp. ) Divers
will continue to monitor the “drips” and we will update our
website as we receive new information. |
|
|
| |
|
 |
Here
is a drip that is swollen at the base.
If
this broke off just above the swelling and the drip dropped to the
bottom, it might appear like a "hershey
kiss" |
| |
Photo of juvenile sponge (arrow)
This sponge might represent a "hershey shaped" dropped drip as it is located
near a large sponge. However ,we cannot preclude
development from some still unknown larva which settled at that
spot
|
|
 |
| |
|
 |
Larger
juveniles in cluster from Jervis Inlet.
Henry Reiswig, a glass sponge specialist has been looking for signs of reproductive
activity in Cloud Sponges with little success to date.
|
|
| |
|
Photo of pendent fingers.
Some drips may develop into fingers or mittens.
Marco Stadelmaier, a graduate student at the University of
Stuttgart, suggests the drips may become the root like
extensions seen, at least, in another related species.
|
|
 |
| |
|
