Chondrilla nucula

{{Short description|Species of sponge}}

{{Speciesbox

| image = Chondrilla nucula Capo Gallo 033.jpg

| genus = Chondrilla (sponge)

| species = nucula

| authority = Schmidt, 1862

| synonyms = * Chondrilla embolophora Schmidt, 1862

}}

Chondrilla nucula, sometimes called the Caribbean chicken-liver sponge, is a species of sea sponge belonging to the family Chondrillidae.

It is an amorphous shaped sponge that grows in flat, sometimes bulbous sheets in benthic communities. It is sometimes found in marginal, stressful systems such as caves. Such sponges are white, lacking access to sunlight, and photosymbionts. It is known to be preyed upon by the hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelys imbricata.{{cite journal | last =Meylan | first =Anne | author-link =Anne Meylan | title =Spongivory in Hawksbill Turtles: A Diet of Glass | journal =Science | volume =239 | issue =4838| pages =393–395 | publisher =American Association for the Advancement of Science | date =1988-01-12 | doi = 10.1126/science.239.4838.393| pmid =17836872 | jstor=1700236| bibcode =1988Sci...239..393M | s2cid =22971831 }}

This sponge has been found to contain strains of bacteria that contained antimicrobial properties. These properties have been shown to inhibit certain bacteria which are harmful to human including Staphylococcus aureus.{{Cite journal|last=Chelossi|first=Elizabetta|date=2007|title=Bacteria with Antimicrobial Properties Isolated from the Mediterranean Sponges Chondrilla Nucula and Petrosia Ficiformis|journal=Aquatic Microbial Ecology|volume=49|issue=2|pages=157–163|doi=10.3354/ame01134|doi-access=free}}