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
Leuconia nivea (Grant, 1826) - A calcareous sponge (Sponge images)
Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under submerged ledge 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under submerged ledge 2

Specimen above found on rock under a ledge submerged below the water level, on an extra low water spring tide at Albert Pier reef, Penzance, Cornwall, 11.03.20.

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on overhang / low spring tide 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on overhang / low spring tide 2

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on overhang / low spring tide 3

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on overhang / low spring tide 4

The specimens above were found growing amongst Bean / Gooseberry sea squirt in a deep rock overhang on an extremely low spring tide at Stackhouse Cove, Prussia Cove, Cornwall. 21.01.11.

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on plastic creel collar 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on plastic creel collar 2

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on plastic creel collar 3

The specimens above were found growing on the inside of a plastic lobster creel collar that was washed up at Sennen Cove, Cornwall, 18.01.18.

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- young specimen 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- photograph of spicules 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- photograph of spicules 2

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 2

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 3

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- spicules 0.1mm division rule 4

Specimen above found under a rock on the lowershore at Wherry Rocks, Wherrytown, Penzance, Cornwall. 10.08.17.

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under lowershore boulder 1

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under lowershore boulder 2

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under lowershore boulder 3

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- under lowershore boulder 4

Specimens above are of the species under a boulder on the lowershore at Battery Rocks, Penzance, Cornwall. 13.07.14.
When found under boulders the sponge is white, flat and hard; and sometimes so hard it can be confused with a calcite deposit.

Calcareous sponge
Leuconia nivea
- on overhang / low spring tide 5

Specimen above was found under a ledge on the lowershore on an extremely low tide at Hannafore, Looe, Cornwall, 29.03.17.

APHOTOMARINE supports open source data recording and sharing for the benefit of wildlife, recorders, research, science and education. The project recommends the following websites and works with the following bodies and organisations.

Sponges of Britain and Ireland Picton

A website based on Sponges of the British Isles 1992 Edition, revised and extended, 2007, by Bernard Picton, Christine Morrow & Rob van Soest. Without a shadow of a doubt the best online resource to sponges of Britain and Ireland.

Marine Biological Association MBA

The Marine Biological Association or MBA, based in Plymouth, is one of the world’s longest-running societies dedicated to promoting research into our oceans and the life they support. Since 1884 the MBA has been providing a unified, clear, independent voice on behalf of the marine biological community.It has a growing membership in over 40 countries.

NBN National Biodiversity Network

The National Biodiversity Network or NBN is a charity that supports open source data sharing and recording supporting conservation, science and education. "Why do recorders need open source?". Simply because it supports the core values of wildlife recording and the free use of records and data over a very wide network that includes partners like the Natural History Museum.

The taxonomy used here is based on that of the following database, which is also used by the MBA, NHM and the NBN.

World Register of Marine Species or WoRMS

The World Register of Marine Species or WoRMS.

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.