Phylum Porifera | Class Demospongiae Genus Niphates Rank Species | |
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Similar Callyspongia vaginalis, Niphatidae, Callyspongia, Euplectella, Aplysina fistularis | ||
Niphates digitalis, the pink vase sponge, is a species of demosponge belonging to the Niphatidae family. It is native to the Florida Keys, The Bahamas, and the Caribbean including the Netherlands Antilles. The species was first described by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in 1814.
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Characteristics
The pink vase sponge is a demosponge that can grow up to 50 cm in height and width, but is more commonly smaller. It is re normally vase-, tube-, or cup-shaped with a narrow base and broader top, and somewhat flattened when viewed in cross section. Rarely, it can grow as a fan shape. Despite its name, the colour has been observed as blue, gray, and lavender, as well as "purplish to pink". The surface is coarse and porous with 6-mm-long conules or spines.
Uses
Compounds extracted from the pink vase sponge have been investigated for their possible use in the treatment of castration recurrent prostate cancer. The alkaloid 1,8-diazabicycloundec-7-ene isolated from the sponge has a number of uses in organic chemistry.
