Myrmekioderma rea

Myrmekioderma rea is a sponge belonging to the family Heteroxyidae. Divers can identify this species by its distinctive oscular areas, which appear as orange-yellow patches. The sponge's buried surfaces or free sides feature circular grooves that contract when handled, forming wart-like structures. Its consistency is notably crumbly and soft, making it unique among reef-associated sponges. This species is encrusting in nature, often found in mangrove habitats within the Western Central Atlantic, including the USA and Caribbean regions. Myrmekioderma rea thrives in tropical waters at depths ranging from 13 to 83 meters. It is primarily found in brackish environments, adapting well to the conditions of mangrove ecosystems. Reproduction in Myrmekioderma rea follows a hermaphroditic pattern common to Demospongiae. The life cycle begins with the zygote developing into a free-swimming parenchymella larva, which eventually settles on a substrate to mature into a young sponge.