Sea sponges, among the oldest creatures in existence, let out what looks like a deep sea 'sneeze' to filter out waste, researchers found in a new study.
, also known as a stove-pipe sponge, and a species of the genus Chelonaplysilla, found in the Indo-Pacific – letting out mighty sneezes by contracting their entire bodies.
"Let's be clear: Sponges don't sneeze like humans do," de Goeij said in the press release, adding that a sponge sneeze takes roughly half an hour to complete."But both sponge and human sneezes exist as a waste disposal mechanism," he said.However, a sponge's pores can get clogged with the muck they don't eat. Researchers found that sponges use a sneezing mechanism, which has been known to the field for years, to get rid of material they cannot digest.
"Some organic matter exists in the water surrounding the coral reef, but most of it is not concentrated enough for other animals to eat. Sponges transform this material into eatable mucus," Kornder, a study co-author, said in aResearchers say the evidence from their study and other scientists' deep sea dives suggest most, if not all, sponges sneeze. Still, many things are uncertain regarding the behavior.
"In the videos, you can see that the mucus moves along defined paths on the surface of the sponge before accumulating," Kornder, said, adding, "I have some hypotheses, but more analysis is needed to find out what is happening."
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Sea sponges launch slow-motion snot rockets to clean their poresSea sponges rely on a sneezing mechanism to clear their pores, using mucus to flush out debris. This mucus provides food for other marine life.
Read more »
Sponges can ‘sneeze’ and other sea creatures eat their mucusTime-lapse videos show sponges “sneezing” mucus containing trapped debris out of their pores, and other organisms such as shrimp seem to feed on the snot
Read more »
Creepy deep-sea 'vanilla Vader' woodlouse is 25 times bigger than a land louseThe new Bathynomus species scavenges in the deep ocean.
Read more »
New giant deep-sea isopod discovered in the Gulf of MexicoResearchers have identified a new species of Bathonymus, the famed genera of deep-sea isopods whose viral internet fame has made them the most famous aquatic crustaceans since Sebastian of 'The Little Mermaid.'
Read more »
New Giant Deep-Sea Isopod Discovered in The Gulf of MexicoIn the case of future catastrophe, it's often said cockroaches will be the last lifeform left standing on Earth. But there's another, more mysterious bug living in the deep that could give roaches a run for their money.
Read more »