Drilling sponges

Stone perforated by a drilling sponge from the French Mediterranean coast (2019)

Drill sponges are sponges that live in limestones or other limestone formations, such as snail shells or mussel shells . For this purpose, drilling sponges use special etching cells in order to break down the rock both chemically and mechanically . The occupied object serves to hold the sponge securely. Stones and shells abandoned by sponges are often found heavily perforated on the beach.

Borer sponges are found in the most diverse regions of the world from Alaska to the Mediterranean Sea to New Zealand . They are partly to a considerable and increasing extent responsible for the decomposition of coral reefs .

Web links

• Drilling sponges , lexicon of biology, spectrum of science
• Yellow drilling sponge , Meerwasser-Lexikon.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Drilling sponges. Retrieved July 4, 2019 . 
2. ↑ Cliona celata Yellow drilling sponge. Retrieved July 4, 2019 . 
3. ↑ MVS Import: Drilling sponges threaten coral reefs . In: scinexx | The knowledge magazine . September 20, 2012 ( scinexx.de [accessed July 4, 2019]).