scubaseason

Orange Elephant Ear Sponge

Agelas clathrodes

Sighting evidence at Gasparee Island Caves, Trinidad

The cave walls at Gasparee support spectacular growths of orange and red encrusting sponges, which thrive in the low-light, high-current cave entrances. These sponges filter enormous volumes of water and provide structural habitat for the shrimp and small fish that colonize the cave walls. Their presence indicates excellent water quality in the Gulf of Paria micro-environment around the island.

Evidence at this site

No confirmed records on file at this site

Orange Elephant Ear Sponge is listed as a curated species here based on historical reports.

How is this calculated?

Sighting evidence is compiled from iNaturalist observation records within a set proximity radius, filtered for quality-grade observations. “Last confirmed” is the date of the most recent research-grade record. Record count covers a rolling 24-month window. Confidence reflects record count, recency, and consistency of seasonal signal.

Also seen at other sites