Giant Barrel Sponge (Xestospongia muta)
These beauties are often called the “Redwoods of the Sea” thanks to their enormous size and record-breaking life span. Multiple X. muta have been documented in the Caribbean at over 2,000 years old, and the average size is over a meter in both height and diameter! They are important to reef ecosystems as very large amounts of seawater are filtered into their pores and expelled through the “barrel” of the sponge. (Sidenote: Here’s my favorite webpage regarding barrel sponges.)
