A spongivore is an organism that feeds primarily on animals of the Phylum Porifera, commonly called sea sponges.
Examples
The hawksbill turtle is one of the few animals known to feed primarily on sponges. It is the only known spongivorous reptile.[1] Sponges of various select species constitute up to 95% of the diets of Caribbean hawksbill turtle populations.[2]
Pomacanthus imperator, the emperor angelfish, is a known spongivorous coral reef fish.[3][4]
Certain species of Nudibranchs are known to feed selectively on specific species of sponges.
References
- ^ "Species Booklet: Hawksbill sea turtle". Virginia Fish and Wildlife Information Service. Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries. http://www.dgif.state.va.us/wildlife/species/display.asp?id=030073. Retrieved 2007-02-06.
- ^ Meylan, Anne (1988-01-12). "Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass". Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 239 (4838): 393–395. doi:. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819880122%293%3A239%3A4838%3C393%3ASIHTAD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H. Retrieved 2007-02-15.
- ^ Thacker, Robert W.; Mikel A. Becerro, Wilfred A. Lumbang, and Valerie J. Paula (1997-08-19). "Allelopathic interactions between sponges on a tropical reef" ([dead link] – Scholar search). Ecology (Ecological Society of America) 79 (5): 1740–1750. http://www.esajournals.org/esaonline/?request=get-abstract&issn=0012-9658&volume=79&issue=5&page=1740. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
- ^ Ferreira, C. E. L.; S. R. Floeter, J. L. Gasparini, B. P. Ferreira and J. C. Joyeux (2004). "Trophic structure patterns of Brazilian reef fishes: a latitudinal comparison". Journal of Biogeography (Blackwell Publishing) 31 (7): 1093–1106. doi:. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2699.2004.01044.x?journalCode=jbi. Retrieved 2007-02-16.
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