The new species are all types of sponges, “grubby little” creatures that are often overlooked but play a critically important role in coral reef communities, one of the researchers said.

A type of sponge characterized by a soft, flexible skeleton made of spongin, lacking hard spicules. Stromatoporoids: A group of extinct marine organisms that built reef-like structures ...

Sea sponges are important sources of biological compounds, since they are unable to move autonomously, and have to protect themselves through chemical means. ‘#Seasponge surprise! #Girolline ...