Brief Summary
Rhabdastrella globostellata, commonly called the Yellow Pot Sponge due to its spherical shape and colouration, is a member of the Ancorinidae family of demosponges. Distributed widely across the Indian and Pacific oceans, it inhabits marine waters from the intertidal to 53m in depth.
Characterised by its spherical shape, brown ectosome (outer, cortical or cortex layer of a sponge), and bright yellow to orange choanosome (inner layer of a sponge, primarily composed of). Specimens commonly have one to several shallow, concave depressions on the apical surface with numerous clusters of oscules (vent pores) 1-4mm in diameter (Carter, 1883; Kennedy, 2000).
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Images: (above) Whole Rhabdastrella globostellata specimen found on Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef (September 2011). (below) Cross-section of above specimen showing the distinct yellow choanosome and thin, brown ectosome and oscules leading into the sponge flesh.
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