![]() ![]() They don’t think the movement is simply a matter of gravity. They say that the findings suggest that the moving sponges sometimes change direction. The researchers generated 3D models from the images and video to show the way the trails were interwoven with each other. Trails left by sponges as they crawl across the seafloor. The researchers report that they also often seemed to be in areas with smaller, juvenile sponges. ![]() The trails were seen in areas with lots of sponges, as well as in more sparsely populated areas. They often connected directly to living sponges. Those trails were several centimeters in height and up to many meters long. Far from a rarity, the researchers saw trails in nearly 70% of seafloor images that contained living sponges. But, even more intriguing were the numerous trails of sponge spicules. They say it’s not clear, given the challenging environment, how the area supports such a vast community of sponges. hentscheli, and Stelletta rhaphidiophora individuals. The researchers determined that the impressive sponge populations were primarily comprised of large numbers of Geodia parva, G. The discovery was made by studying video captured in 2016 by the research icebreaker Polarstern as it surveyed the submerged peaks of the permanently ice-covered Langseth Ridge.Ī towed marine camera sled and a hybrid remotely operated vehicle (HROV) showed that the peaks of the ridge were covered by one of the densest communities of sponges that’s ever been seen. ![]() In some cases, that movement involved remodeling their whole bodies. There also has been some evidence of movement in sponges raised in the lab. They can react to external stimulation and move a little by contracting or expanding their bodies. Sponges have no muscles or specialized organs for moving around. Image credit: AWI OFOBS team, PS101 Morganti et al./Current Biology ![]()
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