Table 1. — Comparison of commercial sponges 



-"■ See fig. 15 and appendix A for areas indicated by letter. 



^ Only in water more than <V0 feet deep. 



^ Average value of one sponge to the fisherman in 1953. 



at the present time is about 7 inches. When 

 cleaned and cured the wool sponge is light tan. 



The wool sponge is the basic sponge of com- 

 merce making up 90 percent or more of the 

 entire take of sponges on a per piecei basis 

 and about 95 percent of the cash returns. Aver- 

 age value per piece is close to 70 cents. 



Yellow sponge ( Spongio barbara Duchassaing 

 and Michelotti 1864) .— This sponge is black, 

 dark brown, or creamy tan in color depending 

 on the area and depth from which it is taken. 

 The smooth rounded shape is much like that of 

 the wool sponge with the exception that the 

 oscules are never surmounted by chimneys as 

 is common in the wool sponges. When cleaned 

 the fibers are yellowish in appearance, hence 

 the name. 



1 Per piece is a trade method of referring to an in- 

 dividual sponge. Sponges have been sold by the pound, 

 but are normally bought from the sponge fishermen by 

 the bunch. This refers to a number of sponges strung 

 on a line and tied to forma ring. The number of sponges 

 on a ring may vary according to the size of the sponge 

 and the kind of sponges. 



The yearly take of yellow sponges is at 

 present less than 6 percent of the total take 

 by pieces and the value per piece one-half of 

 that of the average price for wool sponges. 



Anclote yellow sponge (Spongia anclotea de 

 Laubenfels and Storr 1958) .— This sponge is of 

 very minor commercial importance. Its color 

 and the appearance of its surface fibers are 

 quite like the yellow sponge. Its entire surface, 

 however, is thrown up into anumber of distinct 

 lobes, each with an oscule. It is commonly 

 found north of Anclote Key in shallow water. 



Key grass sponge ( Spongia graminea Hyatt 

 1877) '. — This sponge was originally described 

 as the Florida grass sponge, but it differs 

 greatly from the one found in the Gulf. It is 

 usually 5 to 6 inches in height, is black, and 

 lives in shallow water of less than a few 

 fathoms. The top of the sponge is flat or 



t De Laubenfels (1936) may be in error in identifying 

 the grass sponge, rather than the glove sponge, as Spongia 

 graminea. If SO then the designation of the glove sponge 

 as Spongia cheiris (de Laubenfels andStorr, 1958) is also 

 in error. 



