A great bathing sponge, Spongia officinalis, surrounded by funnel weed and other algae; Mediterranean Sea, Malta.

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These sponges have been harvested for human use for decades, which led to a decrease in population. Usually known of yellow and brownish colour when bought for bathing, their originally (alive) coloration is actually dark grey.

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Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: Cirekwwa, mellieha, Malta
Photo credit: © Rasmus Loeth Petersen / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: algae, animalia, bathing, big, black, bottom, close, creature, dark, demospongiae, dictyoceratida, diving, fauna, frame, funnel, invertebrate, malta, marine, mediterranean, ocean, officinalis, overgrowing, porifera, scuba, sea, shadow, small, sponge, spongia, spongiidae, underwater, water, weed, white, yellow