Sponges play an important role in the structure and function of Caribbean coral reef communities.
Like reef-building corals, the tissues of X. muta contain photosynthetic algal symbionts. The purpose of this Aquarius mission is to continue monitoring populations of X. muta on Conch Reef that were mapped and tagged last year. The project compliments similar surveys of shallow-water populations of X. muta from Conch and Pickles Reefs, also in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Photograph all X. muta within the transects to monitor sponge growth, bleaching, and wound recovery . Sample tissue from selected sponges in the transects to monitor bioactivity of crude extracts in assays of antimicrobial activity and fish feeding deterrency.