Sponge Collection (#10)

Colorful sea wall with regal angelfish and barrel sponges
Colorful sea wall with regal angelfish (Pygoplites diacanthus) and grey and pink barrel sponges, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Orangutan Crab on bubble coral, Indonesia

Nudibranch on orange sponge, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea
Nudibranch or sea slug (Chromodoris coi) on orange sponge, Fathers reef, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Pair of black and white Joruna funebris nudibranch, Indonesia
Pair of black and white Joruna funebris sea slugs on red and blue sponges, Anambas, Indonesia

Green grouper with open mouth, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Green grouper with open mouth, Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

A Hawksbill Turtle swims along a caribbean reef with diver in background

Tube sponge on coral reef in Raja Ampat, Indonesia

A Butter Hamlet swims by a colorful reef in the Atlantic Ocean
A Butter Hamlet (Hypopleltrus unicolor), swims by a colorful reef of ferns, sponges, algae and coral in the shallow waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Key Largo, Florida

Barrel sponge and diver, Belize

Scuba diver swims by some large sponges off the coast of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Scuba diver propels above a large barrel sponge, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Small Basket Starfish hiding in a sponge, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Coral encrusted wreckage on the Liberty Wreck, Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

A diver looks into a cavern at a sponge, Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Bright orange sponge with sunburst, Papua New Guinea
Bright orange sponge and seascape with sunburst, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Top view of a pnk barrel sponge against the cyan reef bottom, Indonesia
Top view of a pnk barrel sponge looking like a saucer against the cyan reef bottom, Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia

Brown tube sponge cluster, Nassau, The Bahamas

A spotted moray eel in a bright orange sponge, Stetson Bank, Gulf of Mexico

Purple Sponge on a deep reef
Purple sponge on a deep reef, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Diver and elephant ear sponge, Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia
Diver and elephant ear sponge (Ianthella basta), Raja Ampat, West Papua, Indonesia

Elephant ear sponge attached to a shipwreck, Solomon Islands
Elephant ear sponge (Ianthella basta) green-gray coloured attached to a shipwreck, with diver onlooking with torch, Solomon Islands

A gathering of crinoid feather stars, Papua New Guinea
A gathering of three crinoid feather stars, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Diver and barrel sponge, Belize

Scuba diver propels over large tupe sponges, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands
Scuba diver propels over large tupe sponges using a diver propulsion vehicle, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Scuba Diver swims underwater amongst sea sponges
Scuba diver swimming underwater amongst sea sponges, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

A diver looks on at a giant barrel sponge, Papua New Guinea
A diver looks on at a giant barrel sponge (Xestospongia testudinaria), Fathers reef, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea

Scuba Diver swims over a large elephant ear sponge
Scuba diver swims over a large elephant ear sponge off the coast of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

A large sponge with diver in the background, Gorontalo, Sulawesi, Indonesia

Pink hairy squat lobster on sponge, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Pink hairy squat lobster on sponge, Lembeh Strait, Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Green frogfish in sponge, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
Green frogfish in sponge, Lembeh Strait, Bitung, North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Purple squat lobster on a sponge, Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

A hawksbill sea turtle and angelfish in Cozumel, Mexico
A hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) feeds on sponge and an angelfish follows for scraps in Cozumel, Mexico

Hovering goby on a green sponge, Fiji

Diver with torchlight over large round pinkish barrel sponge, with sunlight in the distance, Spratly Islands, Malaysia

Decorator crab with mauve sponge on the head, Bali, Indonesia
Beige decorator crab with mauve sponge on the head, Bali, Indonesia

Scorpionfish hiding in a barrel sponge, Nassau, The Bahamas

A large barrel sponge with Queen Angelfish on Caribbean reef

A scuba diver swims above a colorful coral reef near Sulawesi, Indonesia
A scuba diver swims above a colorful coral reef near the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. This beautiful, tropical region is home to an incredible variety of marine life

School of Brown Chromis near a large elephant ear sponge, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

A large orange elephant ear sponge on a reef, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Rope sponge, Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Atmospheric scene from the Liberty Wreck, Tulamben, Bali, Indonesia

Diver and Hawksbill Turtle on caribbean reef

Coral and sponge reef, Belize

Orange sponge with crinoid attached, Papua New Guinea
Orange sponge with crinoid attached and diver, Papua New Guinea

Curly bright orange sponge with greyish whip coral, Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia

Green moray eel on Caribbean reef

Rope sponges on a deep reef off the cosat of Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

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"Sponge: A Versatile Wonder of Nature and Artistic Inspiration" Sponges, the unsung heroes of both nature and art, have captivated human imagination for centuries. From their humble beginnings as simple organisms to their diverse applications in everyday life, sponges continue to amaze us with their unique qualities. In the world of art, sponges have made appearances in some iconic works throughout history. Take "The Crucifixion of Christ" painted in 1565; notice how the artist skillfully used a sponge to create texture and depth on the canvas. Similarly, in "Ending in Smoke" by Heath Robinson, a whimsical illustration showcases a comical scene where smoke billows out from an oversized sponge. Venturing into nature's realm, we find ourselves submerged beneath turquoise waters off Northern Bahamas' Caribbean coast. Here lies a vibrant underwater paradise teeming with fish and coral that rely on sponges for shelter and sustenance. Muriel Dawson's masterpiece "Water Baby" beautifully captures this symbiotic relationship between marine life and these remarkable creatures. Delving further back in time reveals fossils that tell tales of ancient ecosystems. Trilobite, sponge, and zoophyte fossils offer glimpses into prehistoric worlds long gone but not forgotten. These remnants serve as reminders of our planet's rich history. Switching gears to more lighthearted scenes depicted by Muriel Dawson's "Two Babies, " we witness innocence personified through two cherubic faces playing joyfully with bath sponges—a testament to how something so simple can bring immense delight even to the youngest among us. But let us not forget the unexpected encounters involving sponges. Picture a horse-mounted huntsman crashing through a shop window or a Fingerprint Flamingo Tongue crawling over colorful sponge colonies off Little Tobago island—these peculiar moments remind us that life is full of surprises. Beyond artistic depictions, sponges have also found their place in practical activities.