Golf Ball Sponge

Tethya aurantium

The Golf Ball Sponge, also known as the orange puffball sponge, is a spherical sea sponge with a warty surface, typically growing to about 10 cm in diameter. Its surface is covered with sharp spicules that can cause skin irritation if touched. This sponge is found in the Mediterranean Sea and the North Eastern Atlantic Ocean, extending from southern Namibia around the southern African coast to KwaZulu-Natal. It also inhabits regions from Southeastern Alaska to central Baja California, thriving in shallow reefs and rock pools. The sponge is sessile and filter-feeds by drawing water through its body to capture microscopic plankton. Unlike many sponges, its oscula are not easily visible to the naked eye. The Golf Ball Sponge is hermaphroditic, with its zygote developing into a free-swimming parenchymella larva before settling on a substrate to grow into a young sponge. The species has not been evaluated for conservation status.