Sponge "Venus Basket"
The goddess Venus reigns not only among flowering gardens; even the ruler of the ocean Neptune and the inhabitants of his deep-sea kingdom do not dare to resist her power of beauty and perfection. The lace of the best Flemish craftswomen, which by a whim of nature ended up on the seabed, biologists did not hesitate to name after the most beautiful one - in honor of the goddess of love Venus. Euplectella aspergillum or Venus' Basket is an amazing living creature, unanimously recognized as the most beautiful of the sea sponges. Her skeleton has a truly unearthly beauty, simultaneously reminiscent of an elegant vase, a lace scarf, and a bride’s veil. A basket woven by nature from silicon salt fibers, in which you would not be ashamed to present flowers even to Venus herself.
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Sponge "Venus Basket" |
Encyclopedic data. Kingdom - animals, phylum - sponges, class - glass or six-rayed sponges, order - Lyssacinosida, family - Euplectellidae. First to classify and describe mysterious creature famous explorer Flora and Fauna of the Philippines, English zoologist and paleontologist Sir Richard Owen in 1841. Currently, science knows 15 species of sponges, which are united by the name Basket of Venus.
An interesting fact: the first basket of Venus brought to Europe was sold for 600 marks, a fantastic amount at that time even for jewelry.
The Basket of Venus is a sea animal. Its habitat extends mainly to tropical climates: the western region Pacific Ocean and the eastern Indian Ocean. Most sponges, the Venus basket and absolutely all its species, are found in the waters of the Philippine archipelago, namely local residents were the first to find a way to carefully process a sponge and began to use its skeleton as an amulet or decoration. The shelves of islands and continents are a favorite place for sponges to settle. The Basket of Venus is a predominantly solitary animal, with rare exceptions it is colonial. A comfortable depth for a sponge to live is 400-600 meters; some specimens can be found either a hundred meters from the sea surface or one kilometer.
The Basket of Venus, in addition to its beauty, can also boast of its age. This is the oldest animal, the fossilized remains of which are 400 million years old and belong to the Silurian paleontological period.
It is worth noting that the meaning of the name of the sponge is fully revealed only when its calcareous skeleton becomes visible. A special solution and a gentle digestion process remove the soft tissue, and after this the unique pattern of the internal structure of the sponge is always revealed.
The lifestyle of the basket of Venus is largely unknown, since it is not yet possible to conduct research at a depth of more than 400 meters. A sponge is a sessile animal, that is, attached to the bottom or rocky substrate. Sponge food consists of organic remains and microorganisms.
The sponge skeleton is covered with a soft shell, which includes epithelium and mesoglea. The thickness of the mesoglea between the epithelial cells is penetrated by channels that have chambers along their length, inner surface which are covered with choanocytes - flagellated cells that push water and microorganisms through channels through the body of the sponge.
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Sponge "Basket of Venus" |
The basket of Venus is a small creature, the average length of a fragile sea vase is 10-12 centimeters, but there are exceptions up to one and a half meters long. The body of the sponge is a cylinder, the base is living geometric figure- this is a skeleton made of silicon, which, in turn, is a connection of six-beam needles. Fragile snow-white creatures are real chemists, they synthesize silicic acid compounds from sea water followed by conversion to silica. Silica further serves as a major component in the formation of the natural fiberglass Venus Basket skeleton frame. Each element of the frame is a thin thread, approximately equal in thickness to a human hair, so it is not difficult to guess that the skeleton of a sponge is fragile, delicate, weightless, and airy.
The orientation of the six-rayed spines of the skeleton is interesting, which creates the amazing structures of the sponge skeleton. The needle beams are in a mutually perpendicular position relative to each other. The basket of Venus is often called a glass sponge; the thinnest silicon needles literally look like the work of the best glassblowers, so the name is justified in every letter. Even biologists added to the classification an equivalent synonym for six-rayed - glass sponges.
IN Lately Physicists began to become interested in the skeleton of Venus's basket. It turns out that the properties of the sponge skeleton, or rather most of its components, ideally meet the requirements of fiber optics technology; wires created by “nature” are superior in quality to analogues developed by man. What exactly do physicists need from a deep-sea sponge? On at this stage development, the production of optical fiber takes place at high temperatures, which does not allow for maximum effective monitoring of the quality and properties of the final product. The basket of Venus “can” produce fiber at temperatures from 2 to 10 degrees! Consequently, scientists are scratching their heads about how to adopt the technology from animals and successfully produce optical fiber from silica at low temperatures. This would not only simplify and reduce the cost of the manufacturing process, but would also allow humanity to obtain higher quality optical materials and fibers.
And more about the practical use of glass sponges. The Venus basket skeleton can help create inexpensive and productive elements for solar cells.
The basket of Venus is named after the Roman celestial goddess not only for amazing beauty. Don't forget that Venus is the goddess of love. The deep-sea namesake of the goddess does not lag behind her patroness and demonstrates a unique symbiosis for nature with deep-sea shrimp - Spongycola venus - and some species of the smallest crustaceans.
Small crustaceans at the beginning of their life path penetrate into the cavity of the sponge and happily live in it, feeding on organic matter that Venus’s basket pumps through itself along with water. A kind of cornucopia that, in addition, provides safety. The shrimp are in no hurry to leave their cozy home in the cavity of the sponge, but sooner or later you have to pay for any comfort: the shrimp grow, the openwork mouth of the sponge through which they climbed becomes narrow for them, and the satisfied inhabitants turn into no less satisfied, but now prisoners. Surprisingly, the prisoners are always a male and a female; they reproduce in their glass prison and do not experience the discomfort of lifelong imprisonment. Young shrimp are released into freedom the same way their parents got into the sponge - through the mouth. According to natural biologists, a pair of shrimp living in the cavity of Venus’s basket receives food not only from the vital activity of the sponge itself. The skeleton of the sponge in the deep-sea darkness emits a rather bright glow, attracting microscopic animals, which become both prey for both the basket of Venus and the shrimp living in it. The above case of symbiotic relationships should be classified as mutualism, since there is no benefit or benefit for the sponge from the “tenants,” but there is no harm, or at least science has not yet identified any harm.
A pair of shrimp spends their entire life in the cavity of Venus's basket. The Japanese saw this as a symbol of marital fidelity and endless love. Therefore, a long time ago, a tradition arose in the Land of the Rising Sun: to give newlyweds a basket of Venus with a pair of shrimp inside. The souvenir should be kept as long as the marriage lasts. And not only do two small crustaceans help the bonds of love, Venus herself favors those who take care of the talisman that bears her divine name.
So unusual and self-explanatory name the sponge deserves it appearance. Sea sponges in general are very amazing and not like anyone similar creatures.
Looking at the photo called “Venus’s basket”, you can immediately understand that this animal is the object of dreams of many collectors.
The unusual skeleton looks like a lace veil, as if enveloping this ephemeral creature. On the other hand, the sponge looks like a wicker basket. You can compare this creature with anything for a long time, one thing is for sure - this animal is unique in its kind.
The first information about this sponge appeared in 1841. In those distant times, the English naturalist Richard Owen was conducting research on the fauna of the Philippine Islands and accidentally came across an unusually beautiful sea creature. This was Euplectella aspergillum.
These living organisms, as a species, are rightfully considered one of the longest-livers of our planet, because the appearance of the ancestors of “baskets” on Earth is dated back to 420 - 440 million years ago.
Where do sponges called Venus baskets live?
These creatures can be found in the western waters of the Pacific Ocean and in the eastern regions Indian Ocean.
Venus baskets prefer to settle in tropical areas. There are especially many of them near the Philippine Islands.
What is the difference between the basket of Venus and other representatives of sponges?
These animals are shaped like a vessel woven from airy threads. Externally, the sponge looks like a fragile basket. The animal's skeleton is based on a silicon composition. It consists of many ray needles, which is why the sponge belongs to the glass class - after all, its skeleton is as if invisible, and instead of it there is only “delicate lace”.
Nutrition and lifestyle of the basket of Venus
Representatives of this species prefer to lead single image life. Basket colonies are rather an exception to the rule. Settle in great depth, attaching to stones and other underwater substrate. They lead a mostly sedentary lifestyle.
The basket of Venus feeds on a variety of microorganisms, as well as organic remains. The sponge pushes food through its body, thereby supplying the body with nutrients.
Beneficial properties of sponges for humans and for the world of science
Oddly enough, but such primitive, at first glance, creatures serve as an indispensable support for science, in particular physics. Scientists around the world have concluded that glass sponges (and specifically Venus baskets) are an example for creating a new generation of optical fiber.
Looking at these bottom dwellers, scientific minds are trying to adopt the ability to build a skeleton from silicon at record low temperatures(after all, at great depths the temperature ranges from 2 to 10 degrees).
Basket of Venus, or Euplectella aspergillum- one of the most beautiful sponges. It would be more accurate to say that this sponge has the most beautiful skeleton, presented in the form of a cylindrical openwork plexus of skeletal elements. It is the skeleton of the Basket of Venus that is considered valuable decoration and the dream of many collectors, and thanks to him the sponge received such a romantic name. Its unique skeletal lattice, like a basket, is woven from thin translucent fibers, and could easily touch even the goddess of beauty, love and gardens - Venus.
The first description of this creature was made by the famous English zoologist and paleontologist Sir Richard Owen in 1841, while studying the fauna of the Philippines.
Euplectella aspergillum belongs to the squad Lyssacinosida, part of the class of Six-beam or glass sponges ( Hexactinellida or Hyalospongia). Genus Euplectella currently unites about 15 species of sponges, which popular rumor has dubbed the Baskets of Venus for the beauty and grace of their skeletal structure.
These are typical marine animals, mostly solitary, less often colonial, living in deep-sea places - from 100 m to kilometer depths, preferring, however, to settle at a depth of 400-600 m.
The basket of Venus can be found in the eastern Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, mainly in the tropics. The waters around the Philippine archipelago are especially famous for the abundance of glass sponges. More often, Baskets of Venus inhabit deep-sea areas of the shelf zone of continents and islands.
Glass sponges are very ancient animals - the fossilized remains of their skeletons date back to the Silurian period, that is, they are at least 420-440 million years old.
The lifestyle of these animals is poorly understood, since Baskets of Venus are found at considerable depth. Like all sponges, they are sessile animals, attaching themselves to stony or rocky substrates at the bottom. Their food is microorganisms and organic remains found in the water that the sponge passes through the channels of its body.
The Venus Basket sponge has a cylindrical body, the basis of which is a silicon skeleton made of six-rayed needles. The rays of the needles are oriented in three mutually perpendicular planes; there are needles with underdeveloped rays. The silicon skeleton literally looks like glass, so the Basket of Venus, as well as many other representatives of the class of six-rayed sponges, justify the name of their class - glass sponges.
These animals extract silicic acid compounds from seawater and convert them into silica, forming a complex skeletal frame made of natural fiberglass. The thickness of the elements of such a frame can be no thicker than a human hair, for this reason the skeletons of glass sponges are very delicate and fragile.
The body height of most species of the Basket of Venus does not exceed 10-20 cm, but can reach more than 30 cm (according to some sources - up to 120 cm). At its top there is a wide mouth, which in adult individuals is closed by an openwork lattice of skeletal formations.
The sponge skeleton is covered with a soft shell, represented by epithelium, mesoglea, in the thickness of which there are other types of cells characteristic of most sponges. It should only be noted that the mesoglea of glass sponges does not contain myocyte cells, characteristic of sponges of other classes. The thickness of the mesoglea between the epithelial cells is penetrated by channels, which have chambers along their length, the inner surface of which is covered with choanocytes - flagellated cells that push water through the channels through the body of the sponge.
The unique symbiosis of the Basket of Venus with deep-sea shrimp and some species of crustaceans formed the basis of a beautiful Japanese tradition - to give newlyweds the skeleton of this sponge with a pair of crustaceans that have settled in its internal cavity as a wedding gift.
Small crustaceans enter the cavity through the mouth of the sponge and live there, feeding on organic matter pumped by choanocytes along with water. Inside the Basket of Venus, shrimp and crustaceans feel safe, well-fed and supplied with fresh water, so they do not feel the desire to leave their patron, settling in the cavity of the sponge for a long time. After some time, the shrimp grow up and become prisoners of the skeleton of the Basket of Venus, since they cannot leave it through the openwork lattice of the mouth. However, the shrimp (and there are always a pair of them - a male and a female) are not at all worried about this - they feel great in their “imprisonment”. They reproduce right in their “prison”, and the young shrimp swim away through the mouth of the sponge, most often looking for shelter similar to their “parental home”. 
According to naturalists, shrimp feed in the cavity of the Basket of Venus not only with the “leftovers” of its feast - it turns out that in the darkness of the depths the sponge is capable of emitting light, attracting the smallest microscopic animals to it, which become prey not only for the sponge, but also for its symbiotic tenants. The crustaceans remain to live in the sponge until the end of their days, maintaining marital fidelity to their soulmate. It was this fact that served as the reason for the emergence of the custom described above - to give newlyweds a Venus Basket with a pair of crustaceans inside as a symbol of marital fidelity.
Apparently, the case of symbiotic relationships presented here should be classified as mutualism, since there is no benefit for the sponge from cohabitation with crustaceans and shrimp, and there is no harm, at least obvious, either.
It is curious that physicists are interested in the skeletons of glass sponges - the properties of the constituent elements of this natural structure ideally correspond to the requirements of the “wires” of fiber optics. Optical fiber production technology is currently associated with high temperatures, which makes it difficult to control the quality and properties of the resulting materials.
Glass sponges produce their “fiber” at a considerable depth, where the temperature does not exceed 2-10 degrees. C. By adopting the technology of making skeletons from silica at low temperatures from these animals, physicists could produce higher-quality optical fibers and materials.
In addition, the skeletons of glass sponges can help create inexpensive and efficient solar cell elements.
But at present, the skeleton of the Basket of Venus is of greatest value as an amazing souvenir decoration created by nature.
The body is cylindrical, up to 30 cm long, and consists of hexagonal needles, which contain silica. Deep sea species tropical zone Pacific and Indian oceans.
In Japan, euplectella is associated with wedding ceremony. When young people get married, they receive a beautiful translucent basket with a pair of dried shrimps inside as a gift. The Japanese have long noticed that in each such sponge there live two shrimp - a male and a female. They get there at the larval stage and, when they grow up, they can no longer leave it. Therefore, the gift is for the newlyweds symbolic meaning- he serves as a personification constant love, fidelity and long marital happiness. Translated from Japanese, the sponge is called “to live, grow old and die together.”
Basket of Venus
Few zoologists study sponges. This can be explained simply - big practical significance they do not have, are unattractive in appearance, not like, for example, birds, tigers or sea stars. At the same time, the name of one of the largest Russian specialists in sea sponges everyone knows. Nowadays, few people remember that the great Russian traveler, ethnographer and anthropologist Nikolai Nikolaevich Miklouho-Maclay was a zoologist by training. A student and assistant of the great Ernst Haeckel, he worked a lot on the sponges of our seas. At the end of many scientific names sponges living in northern seas, we meet the name of the author of the species description – Miclucho-Maclay.
End of work -
This topic belongs to the section:
Sponges. Classes: limestone, glass, ordinary
This lesson is carried out after studying the type of Protozoa and is a lesson according to the program V V Pasechnik's textbook V V Latyushin V A Shapkin M.. Biology lesson in the class on the topic.. Sponges Classes lime glass ordinary..
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