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Id 84
Identification Type Invertebrate
Name Sponge
Distinguishing Features Acicular
Needle-like
Curved
Isotropic
Large
Description Transparent colorless. Moderately high relief. Isotropic. Sponge spicules (amorphous silica structural elements) are most often large (~0.1 to >1 mm), needle-like, gently curved, sometimes with a medial groove or tube. Ends may be pointed or rounded. Surface is frequently smooth and unornamented, but may be covered with prominent bumps. Distinguished from diatoms by size, lack of ornamentation, robustness/solidness. Marine forms may be more complex, tri- or tetraxial. Marine forms may less commonly be calcareous instead of siliceous.
Tags spicule
groove
bumpy
External Resources
Imposters
Images
spicule_pp_01-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: not specified
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: 400x
Submitted by: Amy Myrbo
Notes: bumps
Image Tags: none
Sponge_spicules_10_GR-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: not specified
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: x4
Submitted by: Guy Rothwell
Notes: spicules biogenic-silica triaxon tetraxon
Image Tags: none
Sponge_spicules_11_GR-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: not specified
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: x4
Submitted by: Guy Rothwell
Notes: spicules biogenic-silica triaxon tetraxon
Image Tags: none
Sponge_spicules_12_GR-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: not specified
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: X4
Submitted by: Guy Rothwell
Notes: spicules biogenic-silica triaxon tetraxon
Image Tags: none
Siliceous_debris_1ppl1-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: Angola Basin, SE Atlantic
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: not specified
Submitted by: Guy Rothwell
Notes: Mostly broken monaxon spicules and centric diatom debris, with rare radiolarians and foraminifera, spicules centric-diatoms foraminifera radiolaria biogenic-silica monaxon
Image Tags: none
image0190-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: Peten Itza
Light type: Plane-Polarized Light
Magnification: not specified
Submitted by: Andy Cohen
Notes: sponge megasclere
Image Tags: none
sponge1_TwinLk_MN_40xBF_ME-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: Twin Lake
Light type: not specified
Magnification: not specified
Submitted by: Mark Edlund
Notes: This is a freshwater sponge spicule of the megasclere type.
Image Tags: siliceous transparent hollow needle-like pointed thin colorless sponge spicule megasclere
sponge_tissue_OMAA_RIPO12_3A_1P_1_jm_2_edit-600.jpg
Unique Identification: Sponge
Site name: Rice Portage Lake, Carlton County, MN
Light type: Reflected Light
Magnification: not specified
Submitted by: Jimmy Marty
Notes: sponge tissue; networks of bubble like tissue found in sediment samples in fragments 1 -4 mm long; spicule structure evident in plane polarized light at high power; isotropic under cross polarization
Image Tags: isotropic bubble connected spongy

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