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A spongivore is an organism that feeds primarily on animals of the Phylum Porifera, commonly called sea sponges.

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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:10.1126/science.239.4838.393. 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:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2004.01044.x. 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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[VDGIF-0] "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.

[ScienceSpongi-1] 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:10.1126/science.239.4838.393. http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0036-8075%2819880122%293%3A239%3A4838%3C393%3ASIHTAD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-H. Retrieved 2007-02-15.

[Angel1-2] 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.

[Angel2-3] 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:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2004.01044.x. 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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