Fossil Carnivorous Sponge?
Fossil Carnivorous Sponge? avatar

By , on May 29th, 2013 One comment   Paleobiology, Sponge Bitches!   , , , , , ,  

In my email several months ago Casey Burns, a field associate with the California Academy of Science, sent me a fantastic find. The photo is a potential carnivorous sponge from the Eocene, roughly 55 million to 39 million years ago Eocene/Oligocene boundary at 33 million years ago. The fossil is from the well-known Mist crinoid . . . → Read More: Fossil Carnivorous Sponge?

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Flesh Eating Sponges?
Flesh Eating Sponges? avatar

By , on May 28th, 2013 6 comments   Abyss, Biology, Evolution, New Species, Organisms, Paleobiology, Sponge Bitches!   , , , , , ,  

Most sponges, inspiration for dish cleaners and mess absorbers, feed by filtering water through those many holes and channels. Their scientific name, Porifera, literally means pore bearer. The channels are lined with special cells, chanocytes, each containing a flagellum that continuously beats. This whirling action by the flagellum filters nutrients and small particles of food . . . → Read More: Flesh Eating Sponges?

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The Best New Species of 2009
The Best New Species of 2009 avatar

By , on May 24th, 2010 One comment   Fish, New Species, Organisms   , , , , , , ,  

Each year the International Institute for Species Exploration announces a list of the Top 10 New Species for the preceding calendar year. Of the top 10 for 2009 are two deep-sea species. The Financial Times also list there top five deep-sea species. Very cool even if all of them are vertebrates. Bombardier Worm, Swima bombiviridis . . . → Read More: The Best New Species of 2009

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