Cliona patera

Cliona patera
Neptune's cup
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Subclass: Tetractinomorpha
Order: Hadromerida
Family: Clionaidae
Genus: Cliona
Species: C. patera
Binomial name
Cliona patera
Hardwicke, 1822
Synonyms
  • Spongia patera
    Hardwicke, 1822[1]

Cliona patera, commonly called Neptune's cup, is a species of demosponge in the family Clionaidae.[2]

Among the larger known sponges at up to a meter in height and width, the common name Neptune's cup refers to its characteristic wine glass shape and the Roman god of the sea. The species was thought to be extinct since the early 1900s due to overharvesting, but live specimens were discovered in 2011 off the coast of Singapore.[3]

References

  1. ^ Lim Swee-Cheng, author of A Guide to Sponges of Singapore. "Flickr - Hardwicke, 1822. Pg 1.". http://www.flickr.com/photos/sweecheng/2032971627/in/set-72157603189502096/. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 
  2. ^ "World Porifera Database - Cliona patera". http://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/porifera.php?p=taxdetails&id=170468. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 
  3. ^ "Scientific American - Extinction Countdown blog". http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/extinction-countdown/2011/11/17/amazing-neptunes-cup-sponge-rediscovered-singapore/. Retrieved 2011-11-17. 


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