Article 4

The six-point green star asterisk sponge is an encrusting organism found on rocks and marine debris. It has the gift of bilocation not only spreading as it grows but genuinely appearing in two places at the same time, most notably in the pages of books. Because of the decline in large sunken hulks and of hard bound books it too has declined as a subspecies. All over the world asterisk sponges generally recover following periods of contemporary warfare and traditional scholarship. As such it is not regarded as endangered.

Observers are unsure whether the dandy sponge is autogenically luminous or whether its light is caused by microscopic worms, as such it is still classified as undescribed. Either way whatever generates this sponge's luminescence almost definitely relies on what are known as lucifer orthologs or excitable clusterwinks within the sponge tissue, whether attached or unattached. Divers who encounter the sponge later complain of headaches and visions — an uninvited clairvoyance, as their vivid intuitions rarely prove true.

That the ocean floor is full of mystery is hardly news, yet the imagined nature of its many secrets changes over the years. No longer feared as a world of monsters, recent interest in sponges and their subaqueous contribution to the surface world reconceptualises the enigmatic ocean as a resource that transformed the entire planet, notably the gift of oxygen. This deathlily sponge is shown against a background of racing basket fans on the Rockall Shelf.

The matinée, found in deep rocky coves along the coast of Oman, has the visual trick of darkening the waters around it. As well as affixing to rocks and coral it can also fasten to others of its own sub-classification. It is social. It prefers only the cleanest water and as such it is classified as endangered. Few other sponges have the ability to change the colour tone of its environment to this extent and as such the matinée is of enormous interest to marine biologists. Habitat intensifiers that cluster similar to the matinée are referred to as ‘flights’.

Called shore guest but not at all welcome. The presence of shore guest is a precursor of trouble at sea. Sponges break off in their thousands — nobody is sure why — they drift ashore and wedge among the rocks. As the shore guest breaks down it contaminates the local littoral swith a malodorous and unsightly mucilage. Even pristine beaches in the Andaman Sea are affected. The photo shows a clean- up operation at Iztuzu Beach, Dalyan, Turkey.

So called because it is found in the Society Islands of French Polynesia and not because it appears to be sociable. When in groups they sway in divergent and complementary dispositions. As all living beings will, they clamour for survival and endured over 150 nuclear test explosions between 1966 and 1995. The Society Sponge is historically convivial but following the punishment of nuclear radiation it showed signs of distress and favoured smaller units, notably pairs.

 
 

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