Crambe crambe

The colonies of Crambe crambe form thin orange to orange-red plates, rarely lobed, with a very rough surface perforated by raised oscula found along the exhaling channels. These colonies can cover a surface of 1 m².[3][4]

Crambe crambe feeds by filtering bacteria, microorganisms and single-celled algae. This species is hermaphrodite. Larvae are planktonic. These demosponges often cover the shell of live shellfish (Arca noae, Spondylus and various sedentary bivalves). Eupolymnia nebulosa sometimes hides itself on these sponges.[3]

This species is endemic to the Mediterranean, but it is also present in the North Atlantic Ocean, in the English Channel and in the North Sea.[3][5][6]

Crambe crambe commonly occurs in well-lit waters on hard substrate at depths of 5 to 30 m.[3]

• 
  Arca noae coveded by Crambe crambe
• 
  Eupolymnia nebulosa on Crambe crambe
• 
  Crambe crambe

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• Van Soest, R.W.M. (2001) Porifera, in: Costello, M.J. et al. (Ed.) (2001)., European register of marine species: a check-list of the marine species in Europe and a bibliography of guides to their identification. Collection Patrimoines Naturels, 50:
• Van Soest, R.W.M. (2002) Family Crambeidae Lévi, 1963.
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