freshwater sponge

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vulture. An adult bearded vulture at a raptor recovery center. The Gypaetus barbatus also known as the Lammergeier or Lammergeyer, is a bird of prey and considered an Old World vulture.

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Mushrooms growing in forest. (vegetable; fungus; mushroom; macrofungi; epigeous)

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Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters

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freshwater sponge

invertebrate

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Also known as: Spongilla

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freshwater sponge

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Category: Animals & Nature

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freshwater sponge, any of about 20 species of the genus Spongilla (class Demospongiae, siliceous sponges), a common, widely occurring group. Spongilla species are found in clean lake waters and slow streams.

Freshwater sponges are delicate in structure, growing as encrusting or branching masses. They usually appear greenish because of the algae that live on them. Freshwater sponges may attain a volume of more than 2,500 cubic centimetres (150 cubic inches). The larva of the spongillafly lives as a parasite on freshwater sponges.

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