Variable Loggerhead Sponge

Ircinia variabilis

The Variable Loggerhead Sponge, known scientifically as Ircinia variabilis, is a sponge found in subtropical regions of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. Divers can spot this sponge in various habitats, including caves, coralligenous communities, detritic rocky bottoms, and Posidonia oceanica meadows. It is sessile, meaning it remains fixed in one place, and can be found at depths ranging from the surface to 450 meters, although most occurrences are at shallower depths, with 85% found above 40 meters. This sponge can grow up to 25 cm in length and is part of the class Demospongiae, which are hermaphroditic. The life cycle of the Variable Loggerhead Sponge involves a free-swimming parenchymella larva that eventually settles on a substrate to mature into a young sponge. For divers, encountering the Variable Loggerhead Sponge can be an interesting experience, especially in the diverse habitats it occupies. Its conservation status has not been evaluated by the IUCN, and it poses no threat to humans.