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photo © ria tan 2002

Lilac prickly sponges Phylum Porifera Sponges are immobile and appear soft. However, their bodies are impregnated with tiny sharp needles of silica (what glass is made of) or calcium carbonate (what our bones are made of). Some also produce unpleasant tasting or irritating compounds. Some like this one, are prickly as well. These defences dissuade most creatures from taking a bite out of a sponge. This makes sponges a safe place to stay on for the tiny pink worm-like synaptid sea cucumbers.

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