Paul Easton writes in the Dom Post about a newly-discovered carnivorous sea sponge, first found on the Macquarie Ridge.
The sea sponge, which preys on shrimp, has not yet been given a formal name, although unofficially it’s being called the ‘paperclip’ sponge.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“However, Dr Kelly has taken to calling it “the paperclip sponge” because of lip-shaped skeleton-like structures on its outside.
“”It’s like it’s covered in Velcro. It has these little hooks on it,” she said.
“”If a silly little crustacean comes along it gets tangled up in the hooks. The more it struggles the more it gets tangled. Then cells digest the animal. It gets sucked dry basically.”"
