A new species discovered in Vietnam has attracted the attention of scientists.
New Discovery
Hidden beneath the clear waters of Vietnam’s coastline lies a “strange” creature. This organism had gone largely unnoticed until scientists conducted a thorough underwater examination. Ultimately, they concluded that this is a new species.
According to a study published on June 16 in the Journal of Marine Science and Technology, researchers surveyed several marine species in Ha Long Bay during a series of diving expeditions.
While exploring an area described as “half light, half dark,” the scientists discovered a large sponge. Navigating around shallow rocks and coral reefs, they collected eight specimens of this particular sponge.
New sponge species discovered in Vietnam.
After a period of careful observation, researchers identified a new sponge species, naming it Cladocroce pansinii.
The study notes that the Cladocroce pansinii sponge is “generally quite large” with a tubular shape. Living in protected areas of the bay shielded from harsh weather, the sponge reaches a size of about 20 cm. Their shapes vary significantly, but most are characterized by a “light blue” color.
Photographs captured show several Cladocroce pansinii sponges. One is taller with thick tubes, another is longer with slender branches resembling a climbing plant, and a third is slightly yellow, shorter, and wider.
Sponges thrive in various climates and oceans, from tropical to polar regions, and can exist at all latitudes. They are found from intertidal zones to the deepest parts of the sea, including in light-deprived underwater caves. Globally, there are over 5,000 sponge species, exhibiting diverse shapes, colors, sizes, structures, and lifespans, which can range from a few months to over twenty years.
Among the sponge species harvested and used by humans, the highest quality sponges are primarily found in tropical waters, especially in the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Red Sea regions. However, only about 12 species out of the 5,000 sponge species are commercially utilized.
The discovery of this new sponge species adds to the “dictionary” of biodiversity in Vietnam and helps scientists gain a better understanding of marine organisms in tropical regions.
Significance of the Discovery
Researchers state that the Cladocroce pansinii sponge is named in honor of Maurizio Pansini, recognizing “his foundational contributions to sponge taxonomy.”
The new species has been identified as distinct based on its body shape and DNA.
Upon identifying the new species, researchers realized that some sponge specimens previously found in Hawaii and Thailand had been misidentified but were, in fact, Cladocroce pansinii. The study indicates that these misidentified sponges displayed “light blue, pale gray, and purple” colors.
The research team includes scientists Marco Bertolino, Carlo Cerrano, Giorgio Bavestrello, Do Cong Thung, Laura Núñez-Pons, Francesca Rispo, Jana Efremova, Valerio Mazzella, Daisy Monica Makapedua, and Barbara Calcinai.
During their surveys, researchers also discovered a new “rough” purple sponge in Indonesia, marking the first time Indonesians have observed another sponge species, along with some updated descriptions of previously known sponge species.
Researchers stated, “Our work enhances knowledge about the distribution of species along iconic hotspots of the Indian Ocean-Pacific and inspires marine biodiversity research.”
It is noted that Ha Long Bay is located along the northern coast of Vietnam, approximately 160 km east of Hanoi.
