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Brain sponge
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Porifera
Class:	Demospongiae
Order:	Poecilosclerida
Family:	Isodictyidae
Genus:	Isodictya
Species:	I. elastica
Binomial name
Isodictya elastica (Vosmaer, 1880)
Synonyms
Desmacidon elastica Vosmaer, 1880 Homoeodictya elastica (Vosmaer, 1880)

The brain sponge (Isodictya elastica) is a species of marine demosponge in the family Isodictyidae. This sponge is known from the west coast of South Africa to Port Elizabeth. It is endemic to this region.

Description

The brain sponge may grow to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) across. It has a smooth surface, covered with many scattered oscula. It may be beige to pink in colour and grows in two forms: one massive and convoluted, rather like a brain, and the other with narrowing fingers. Its texture is soft and compressible.

Habitat

This sponge lives on rocky reefs subtidally to 25 metres (82 ft).

References

1. "Isodictya elastica (Vosmaer, 1880)". WoRMS. Retrieved 19 November 2010.
2. ^ Samaai, Toufiek; Gibbons, Mark J. (November 2005). "Demospongiae taxonomy and biodiversity of the Benguela region on the west coast of South Africa". Afr. Nat. Hist. 1 (1): 1–96.
3. Jones, Georgina (2008). A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town: SURG. ISBN 978-0-620-41639-9.

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