‘Shaggy’ purple creature living on seafloor turns out to be new species in Indonesia
Deep underwater near an island in Indonesia, a purple creature thrived along the seafloor. The animal went unnoticed until scuba diving scientists found it — and discovered a new species.
Researchers were surveying marine life near Bangka Island in a series of scuba dives, according to a study published June 16 in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering.
About 65 feet below the surface, researchers noticed several purple sea sponges, the study said. They collected the animals and, after looking closer, realized they’d captured a new species: Cladocroce lamellata.
Cladocroce lamellata sponges are “fan-shaped” with a “peculiar” body arrangement, researchers said. On one side, the sponges have a “shaggy” texture made up of membrane-covered, cone-like openings. On the other “less shaggy” side, the sponges have several openings for expelling water.
The sponge has a “violet” coloring, researchers said. Photos show the purple sponge underwater. Tall and skinny, it almost looks like a waving banner.
Cladocroce lamellata sponges were named after their “characteristic” shape, which is referred to as a “lamellate shape,” researchers said.
The new species was recognized as distinct based on body shape, internal skeleton and texture, the study said. Researchers tried to analyze the sponge’s DNA but were unable to do so with enough precision to determine its genetic divergence from other sponges.
The research team included Marco Bertolino, Carlo Cerrano, Giorgio Bavestrello, Do Cong Thung, Laura Núñez-Pons, Francesca Rispo, Jana Efremova, Valerio Mazzella, Daisy Monica Makapedua and Barbara Calcinai.
During their surveys, researchers also discovered a new species of “massive” green sponge in Vietnam, recorded the first Indonesian sighting of another sponge species and provided updated descriptions of a fourth sponge species.
“Our work expands the knowledge of species distribution along iconic hotspots of the Indo-Pacific Oceans and inspires research on marine biodiversity,” researchers said.
Bangka Island in North Sulawesi province is in central Indonesia, about 2,000 miles northeast of Jakarta, the capital city.
This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 2:46 PM with the headline "‘Shaggy’ purple creature living on seafloor turns out to be new species in Indonesia."
