Amphimedon queenslandica

Amphimedon queenslandica

"Amphimedon queenslandica" is a sponge native to the Great Barrier Reef. Its genome has been sequenced. It has been the subject of various studies on the evolution of metazoan development.
Not native to Australia Originally described from Queensland, Australia, this species is not endemic or native to Australia and is rather widespread around Inso-Pacific. Amphimedon queenslandica,Malaysia,Sabah,Sea Sponge,Sipadan

Naming

"A. queenslandica" was first discovered in 1998 on Heron Island Reef by Sally Leys when looking for sponges with larvae to study polarity, and was formally described by John Hooper and Rob van Soest in 2006. Like most sponges it has a biphasic life cycle, passing through a planktonic phase whilst a larva, but later becoming a benthic dweller. It is hermaphroditic, and reproduces via spermcast spawning, meaning it releases sperm into water but retains eggs, which are fertilised internally. The embryos develop in brood chambers until they reach a certain size, then disperse as parenchymella larvae. During this larval stage, they have a strong preference for darkness. The sponge is difficult or impossible to maintain in captivity.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionPorifera
ClassDemospongiae
OrderHaplosclerida
FamilyNiphatidae
GenusAmphimedon
SpeciesA. queenslandica
Photographed in
Malaysia