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Animal profile

Harp Sponge

Chondrocladia lyra

DemospongiaeDeep-sea sediment off the Pacific coast of North America, around 3,000 to 3,500 metres

Field profile

A deep-sea sponge shaped like a set of upright vanes, each bearing rows of vertical branches tipped with swollen balls. It was described in 2012 from remotely operated vehicle surveys. Unlike typical sponges, it captures small animals rather than filtering particles.

Scope note

This is an editorial profile, not a diagnostic field-identification guide or a substitute for current conservation assessments. Follow the cited sources on each fact for the evidence trail.

Published field notes

2025-09-18

Harp Sponge

The harp sponge catches prey instead of filtering

It has abandoned the sponge's usual pump-and-strain feeding entirely. Tiny hooked spicules covering its branches snag passing crustaceans like burrs, and the sponge then grows a membrane over the trapped animal and digests it.

Read with evidence →

Harp Sponge | Daily Animal Facts