https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz A Lovely Little Sponge en-us 2017-11-28 15:37:36 UTC 2026-01-19 05:40:07 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Beartoy.png jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212396247 Euplectella aspergillum]]> 2017-12-01 18:40:51 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212396247 jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212398532 Venus' flower basket sponges are are a member of the Hexactinellida, or glass sponge class, for its entire skeleton is made of tiny, delicate silica structures that form a lattice and make up the majority of the animal.]]> 2017-12-01 18:45:42 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212398532 jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399298 The sponges usually inhabit deep waters off the coast of Japan, the Philippines, and other parts of the western Pacific and Indian oceans. There natural occurrence is fairly rare and they are very hard to come by]]> 2017-12-01 18:47:26 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399298 jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399555 The sponges feed off of organic debris that sink to the ocean floor, as well as provide shelter for other small deep-sea organisms. They also hold a symbiotic relationship with some species of shrimp that clean the sponge in exchange for shelter and food.]]> 2017-12-01 18:48:03 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399555 jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399716 Its body and skeleton form in the shape of a vase, and on average grow to around 10 inches long. Small tufts of fibers keep the animal situated on the ocean floor. These fibers are as thin as a human hair and can be used biologically to create glass.]]> 2017-12-01 18:48:21 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212399716 jadley19 https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212444377 In Japan, these sponges are used as a symbol of eternal love and are sometimes exchanged between a couple on there wedding day, for in the wild, the sponge commonly houses a pair of mated shrimp.]]> 2017-12-01 20:44:23 UTC https://padlet.com/jadley19/xqir6bglciiz/wish/212444377