<figure class="fr-image-container fr-full"><img src="https://cdn.discovermagazine.com/assets/image/22727/carnivorous-sponge.gif" title="carnivorous-sponge.gif" loading="lazy" data-id="22727"><figcaption class="fr-figcaption"><p class="fr-caption"></p></figcaption></figure><p> The elusive <a href="http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/running-ponies/2012/11/08/new-carnivorous-harp-sponge-discovered-in-deep-sea/" title="">harp sponge</a></p><div class="vert-display-toggle collapsible relative flex flex-col items-center "><div class="vert-unit mt-4 mb-3 top-20"><div ad-type="mobile-desktop" class="ad-wrapper vert min-h-boombox flex items-start justify-center" data-ad-mapping="inline" data-ad-slot="Discover/inline-ad" id="div-inline-ad-0"></div></div><span aria-label="Advertisement" class="text-ad mt-1 text-[11px] uppercase">Advertisement</span></div><p> dwells nearly two miles below the surface of the ocean, far deeper than humans are able to explore. No one even knew they existed before scientists off California's Monterey Bay used a remote control vehicle to spy on the meat-eating sponge from afar. <a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ivb.12001/abstract" title="">Their findings</a></p><p>, published Oct. 18 in <em>Invertebrate Biology</em>, reveal the secrets of this slow-motion hunter. The harp sponge, <em>Chondrocladia lyra,</em> has thin vertical fingers covered in fibers similar to Velcro. These barbs snare small crustaceans swept up in deep ocean currents. The sponge then wraps these tasty morsels in a thin membrane, dismembers them into bite-size pieces, and voila! Let the slow digestion process begin! The sponge's sticky fibers also come in handy for reproduction. Spheres at the end of the harp sponge's branches produce compact balls of sperm, called spermatophores, which they release into the water. Neighboring sponges snag these sperm-bearing packages in order to fertilize the eggs contained farther down their branches. Cameras on the researchers' remote control vehicles also revealed that the harp sponge has many neighbors in its deep sea home, including sea anemones, sea pens, and sea cucumbers. </p><div data-embedid="9d18565e-af4d-4ddd-bfc5-2dbf51c5675e" id="insticator-embed-temp"></div><p><a href="http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ivb.12001/abstract" title="">Image</a><em> courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)</em></p>

Discover the harp sponge, a carnivorous sponge that thrives nearly two miles beneath the ocean, mastering slow digestion of crustaceans.

Environment

Look at This: A New Species of Carnivorous Sponge

Article

News

Breanna Draxler

Science

The elusive harp sponge dwells nearly two miles below the surface of the ocean, far deeper than humans are able to explore. No one even knew they existed before scientists off California's Monterey Bay used a remote control vehicle to spy on the meat-eating sponge from afar. Their findings , published Oct. 18 in Invertebrate Biology, reveal the secrets of this slow-motion hunter. The harp sponge, Chondrocladia lyra, has thin vertical fingers covered in fibers similar to Velcro. These barbs snare small crustaceans swept up in deep ocean currents. The sponge then wraps these tasty morsels in a thin membrane, dismembers them into bite-size pieces, and voila! Let the slow digestion process begin! The sponge's sticky fibers also come in handy for reproduction. Spheres at the end of the harp sponge's branches produce compact balls of sperm, called spermatophores, which they release into the water. Neighboring sponges snag these sperm-bearing packages in order to fertilize the eggs contained farther down their branches. Cameras on the researchers' remote control vehicles also revealed that the harp sponge has many neighbors in its deep sea home, including sea anemones, sea pens, and sea cucumbers. Image courtesy of Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI)

Discover Magazine’s award-winning journalism inspires and informs, delivering thought-provoking content that sparks meaningful conversations. With a focus on groundbreaking developments in science, technology, and the world around us, Discover highlights the impact of these innovations on our daily lives.

看看这个：一种新的食肉海绵

新闻简报

Breanna Draxler

地球正在变暗，这可能意味着未来夏天会更热

NASA雷达显示加州山体滑坡活动激增

为什么地球气候在2023年如此温暖异常？——第二部分

为什么地球气候在2023年如此温暖异常？——第一部分

为什么深海洋流开始减缓令人担忧

气候变化如何使飓风更强？

第一个地球日是何时？此后我们学到了什么？

全球最重要的二氧化碳监测站持续中断，对气候科学造成“严重打击”

终于，一张不撒谎的世界地图——AuthaGraph 是地球最精确的地图

到2030年，气候变化将使厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜现象加剧——比此前预测提前40年

全新世期间，美国中西部森林的碳储量翻了一番

什么是闪电干旱？

那些仍在加州山丘中寻金的人

通过NOAA公民科学探索地球

不可持续的采砂如何影响环境

保持好奇

加入我们的列表

订阅杂志