Halifax River inlet tide pool in Florida
Submerged Sun Sponge (Hymeniacidon heliophila)
Sun Sponge being exposed to full sunlight and air during low tide
Sun Sponge with bright orange pigments
Sun Sponge osculum where water is filtered out at 20x
Osculum at 40x
Osculum with visible spicules at 100x
Sun Sponge outer pores where water is sucked in to filter-feed at 100x
Sun Sponge outer cells and spicules at 100x
Calcium carbonate spicules that give the sponge its structure and rigidity at 400x
Sun Sponge cells and spicules at 400x
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