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Vol. 63, 2024
(update: 2024.9.4)
Arrangement and Development of
Spicules in the Coral-killing Sponge, Terpios
hoshinota
Yurika
Hirose1, Sen-Lin Tang2 , and
Hideyuki Yamashiro2,3,*
doi:10.6620/ZS.2024.63-26
1Graduate
School of Engineering and Science, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa
903-0129. Japan. E-mail: florida2004yrk@gmail.com (Hirose)
2Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei
115, Taiwan. E-mail: sltang@gate.sinica.edu.tw (Tang)
3Sesoko
Station, Tropical Biosphere Research Center, University of the Ryukyus,
Sesoko 3422, Motobu-cho Okinawa 905-0227, Japan. E-mail:
hyama@lab.u-ryukyu.ac.jp (Yamashiro). Phone +81-90-7381-4041 Fax
+81-980-47-4919
(Received 23 January 2024 /
Accepted 10 April 2024 / Published 4 September 2024)
Communicated by Benny K.K. Chan
Terpios hoshinota
Rützler & Muzik, 1993 is a poriferan species that competes with
corals and is known as a coral-killing sponge. However, limited
information is available on its biology, including morphological
traits. This study aims to examine the arrangement and development of
spicules in various body parts of the sponge including settled larvae.
Spicules were found to appear on the second day after settlement and
were present in all individuals on the fifth day. The spicules in the
thread-like tissue of the growth portion were oriented in the direction
of growth, with their pointed tips facing forward to support the
elongated pioneer tissue. Furthermore, the spicules in the surface
layer of the sponge tissue were perpendicular, with outward-facing tips
associated with collagens. The study indicates that the spicules of T. hoshinota are arranged to
support both encrusting basal tissue and pioneering tissue to colonize corals.
Key words: Coral, Cyanobacteriosponge,
Defense, Sponge larvae, Structure
Citation: Hirose Y, Tang SL, Yamashiro H.
2024. Arrangement and development of spicules in the coral-killing
sponge, Terpios hoshinota.
Zool Stud 63:26. doi:10.6620/ZS.2024.63-26.
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