The Neptune’s Cup sponge in Singapore
Fig. 9. A “Poterion nautilus” (at the top right) trawled up from one
of Mutiara surveys in Java and Southern South China Sea between
1974-1976. Specifi c collection date and locality not recorded. Photo
used with permission from Gustav Pauly.
Fig. 8. Etch marks made by Cliona patera on gastropod shells.
(A) Gastropod shell with etch marks made by rooting process
of sponge. Scale bar = 200 μm; (B) Etch marks and slits on a
gastropod shell. Scale bar = 20 μm; (C) Processes of etching cells
in slit. Scale bar = 2.5 μm.
of C. patera that are also present in the specimens examined.
The most closely related species, C. celata, do not exhibit
stalk and rooting processes (Rützler, 2002; Rosell & Uriz,
2002; Schönberg et al., 2006).
Cliona patera has the most advanced gamma form amongst
all clionaids in having a cup or wineglass shaped main body
supported by a stalk with rooting processes anchoring the