APHOTOMARINE

An educational resource dedicated mainly to the photography
and diversity of marine life that can be found in coastal waters
and intertidal areas of Great Britain and Ireland by David Fenwick.

A-P-H-O-T-O Wildlife Stock Image Library
Grantia sp. - likely a gargantuan specimen of Grantia compressa, Compressed purse sponge. (Sponges)
Scroll down and rollover titles to change screen image or click on title to view image.
Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- preserved specimen 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- preserved specimen 2

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- with 1.0mm division rule 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- osculum preserved specimen 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- osculum preserved specimen 2

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- osculum preserved specimen 3

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- close-up of edge 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- close-up of texture 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- in specimen jar with Sycon 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- on settlement panel, specimen in top right corner 1

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- habitat / location 1

The 98mm long specimen above is likely an atypical, gargantuan specimen of Grantia compressa that was found by Dr. John Bishop of the Marine Biological Association at Queen Anne's Battery Marina, Plymouth, Devon on 21.05.10. The specimen was supplied for investigation and photographic record on 10.10.20.

My thanks goes to Dr. John Bishop of the Marine Biological Association firstly for supplying specimens and for allowing the use of the specimen jar and settlement panel images.

Purse sponge
Grantia sp.
- with Sycon ciliatum? and 1.0mm division rule 1

The gargantuan specimen of Grantia above was found with what are likely equally gargantuan specimens of Sycon ciliatum, see quote and references below.

Quote - "Calcareous sponges are relatively small, measured in mm or a few cm, however in especially rich temperate estuaries Sycon ciliatum can reach more than 50cm in length and 3 cm in diameter [91]."
Van Soest RWM, Boury-Esnault N, Vacelet J, Dohrmann M, Erpenbeck D, De Voogd NJ, et al. (2012). Global Diversity of Sponges (Porifera).
PLoS ONE 7(4): e35105.
https://doi.org/10.1371/
journal.pone.0035105

[91] - Koechlin N. (1977) Installation d’une epifaune a Spirographis spallanzani Viviani,Sycon ciliatum Fabricius et Ciona intestinalis (L.) dans le port de plaisance de Lezardrieux (Cotes du Nord). Cah Biol Mar 18: 325–337.

Koechlin in his paper describes how Sycon ciliatum behaves on marina pontoons but sadly the species was not confirmed by sequencing, too early. Presently it can only be presumed that native species on marina pontoons grow to atypical sizes where the conditions are favourable for doing so, and that these sponges of enormous size are not new non-native species.

Fortunately the current position can easily be clarified by DNA sequencing. Proving Grantia compressa is less of a problem than Sycon ciliatum, and because the position of Sycon ciliatum is currently not clear.

Grantia sp likely a gargantuan specimen of Grantia compressa Compressed purse sponge porifera images
The main objective of this website is in furthering environmental awareness and education through the medium of photography. To increase awareness and access to the wildlife of the region and help
people find and identify it. Sometimes the difference between species is obvious but many species can only be determined by observing microscopic characteristics that are specific to any one species.