The Giant Barrel Sponge can be found in the Caribbean sea, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and in reefs around Florida. It is the largest of the reef-dwelling invertebrate in these areas. This sponge was given its name due its hollow center and its round and open top, giving it a resemblance to a barrel. Sponges are primitive multicellular animals that have no digestive system, no circulatory system, and no nervous system. They do not have organs and their cells are not organized into well defined tissues. Giant Barrel Sponges, like all sponges, are attached to the reef surface and are unable to move. Like most sponges, this species has a glass-like skeleton.
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Fun FActSome Giaint Barrel Sponges in the Caribbean may be over 2,300 years old, making them some of the most long-lived animals on Earth.
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Above is an interesting video about the sponges of the Caribbean and what ecological factors most effect them.
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Fun FActBecause of its large bowl like interior, the Giant Barrel Sponge can often have animals living inside it.
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