The yellow tube sponge stands vertically in groups of several tubes joined together at their base, much like the pipes of an organ, but less organized. The various members of these small colonies of yellow tube sponges display varying sizes depending on their age. The maximum height for the largest specimens is around 3 feet, with a diameter of about 8 inches.
The bright yellow color of the yellow tube sponge !
The thickness of the sponge's tube walls is thick
The color of the yellow tube sponge is - as you guessed - bright yellow. This yellow is even more vibrant when the sponge is close to the surface ! However, this color can turn orange in some cases.
The thickness of the sponge's tube walls is thick and its consistency is soft.
Geographic range
The yellow tube sponge is found in the tropical waters of the Western Atlantic ocean, the Caribbean sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is present to the north along the coasts of Florida and around the reefs of many islands like the Bahamas islands, Guadeloupe, …
Habitat
The yellow tube sponge develops in shallow waters - from 16 to 98 feet deep - on the rocky seafloor of reefs. It prefers waters with a slight current that naturally promotes the supply of food.
Diet
Like all sponges, the yellow tube sponge feeds by filtering organic matter or microscopic debris suspended in seawater.
The color of the yellow tube sponge can vary and turn towards orange
Beautiful giant yellow tube sponges !
Reproduction
The yellow tube sponge exhibits both asexual and sexual reproduction !
The yellow tube sponge reproduces:
by budding, where a small growth forms, detaches and once settled on the ground, gives rise to a new sponge
or by division - following an external incident, a piece of the sponge that is severed regenerates into a new sponge
and finally by the emission of sexual gametes into the water. Indeed, the yellow tube sponge is hermaphroditic, meaning it simultaneously releases male and female gametes, which is manifested by the strange impression of smoke escaping from the sponge.
Did you know ?
Despite its soft consistency, the yellow tube sponge is not subject to intensive commercial harvesting.
The yellow tube sponge serves as food for a number of tropical fish, as well as sea turtles in the Caribbean Sea, like the green turtle or the hawksbill turtle.
The filtration of seawater by the yellow tube sponge occurs 24 hours a day and it is capable of filtering an average of 7,000 times its volume of water per day.
Tips for observing
Observe the beautiful yellow masses formed by each colony of yellow tube sponges !
The yellow tube sponge adapts to unexpected situations like this broken tube !
The yellow tube sponge forms real colonies of several tubes joined together at their base
With a bit of patience, observe the slight seawater current generated by the tube at the exit of the sponge that deflects suspended particles in the water upwards !
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