Xestospongia muta
Encyclopedia
Xestospongia muta, commonly known as the giant barrel sponge, is one of the largest species of sponge found in the Caribbean
. It grows at depths of 10 metres (32.8 ft) or more and it grows between 60 cm and 1.8 m. It is brown-grey to reddish in color, with a hard or stony texture. There is little scientific information about the species, although it has been monitored since 1997.
X. muta has been called the "redwood
of the reef" due to its up to 2000 year lifespan as well as its size and color.
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. It grows at depths of 10 metres (32.8 ft) or more and it grows between 60 cm and 1.8 m. It is brown-grey to reddish in color, with a hard or stony texture. There is little scientific information about the species, although it has been monitored since 1997.
X. muta has been called the "redwood
Redwood
-Trees:Conifers* Family Cupressaceae *** Sequoia sempervirens - coast redwood**** Albino redwood*** Sequoiadendron giganteum - giant sequoia*** Metasequoia glyptostroboides - dawn redwood* Family Pinaceae...
of the reef" due to its up to 2000 year lifespan as well as its size and color.