Anoxycalyx joubini

{{Short description|Species of sponge}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Anoxycalyx joubini3a.png

| genus = Anoxycalyx

| species = joubini

| authority = (Topsent, 1916)

| synonyms = *Scolymastra joubini Topsent, 1916

| synonyms_ref = {{cite WoRMS |title=Anoxycalyx joubini |id=189985 |access-date=14 February 2022}}

}}

The giant volcano sponge (Anoxycalyx joubini) is a species of Antarctic sponge. It is one of the largest sponges in the world which can grow up to a diameter of 1.5 metres (5 feet) and 1.95 metres (6.5 feet) in height.{{cite web |title=Giant Volcano Sponge of Antarctica |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/volcano-sponge-mcmurdo-sound}} The species may have an extremely long lifespan, with estimates of up to 15,000 years.{{cite journal |last1=Gatti |first1=Susanne |title=The role of sponges in high-Antarctic carbon and silicon cycling- a modelling approach (Die Rolle der Schwämme im hochantarktischen Kohlenstoff- und Silikatkreislauf - ein Modellierungsansatz) |journal=Reports on Polar and Marine Research |date=1 January 2002 |pages=124 pages |doi=10.2312/BzPM_0434_2002 |url=https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/26613/1/BerPolarforsch2002434.pdf |access-date=16 February 2022}} A. joubini occurs in deeper waters than the similar species Cinachyra antarctica, which is also very long-lived. Antarctic sponges live at {{cvt|100|–|2000|m}} below the surface, in extremely cold temperatures and constant pressure. This may slow down their growth rate and other biological processes because one caught specimen of A. joubini did not show any growth in a span of 10 years.{{cite journal |last1=Dayton |first1=Paul K. |last2=Kim |first2=Stacy |last3=Jarrell |first3=Shannon C. |last4=Oliver |first4=John S. |last5=Hammerstrom |first5=Kamille |last6=Fisher |first6=Jennifer L. |last7=O’Connor |first7=Kevin |last8=Barber |first8=Julie S. |last9=Robilliard |first9=Gordon |last10=Barry |first10=James |last11=Thurber |first11=Andrew R. |last12=Conlan |first12=Kathy |title=Recruitment, Growth and Mortality of an Antarctic Hexactinellid Sponge, Anoxycalyx joubini |journal=PLOS ONE |date=27 February 2013 |volume=8 |issue=2 |pages=e56939 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0056939 |pmid=23460822 |pmc=3584113 |doi-access=free }}

File:Anoxycalyx joubini.png

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