Life habits and functional morphology of the sediment infaunal spongesOceanapia oleracea andOceanapia peltata (Porifera,Haplosclerida)

Summary In the Santa Marta area of the northern coast of Colombia two species of sponges have been found living within the sediment. The only connection these sponges have with the open water consists of a number of protruding, tubule-like siphons. Through field observations and aquarium experiments, the life habits and the function of the water current system ofOceanapia oleracea andO. peltata have been studied. As an adaptation to life embedded in sediment, both species possess inhalant siphons which draw water from above the sediment surface and duct it to the central body. The inhalant system shows a most unusual separation and concentration of inhalant pores at the tips of the inhalant ducts. The exhalant water leaves the sponge through separate ducts at the opposite side of the central body. Based on the observations onOceanapia, the water flow model forDisyringa proposed by Fry and Fry (1979) is reconsidered.