Agelas clathrodes
species of sponge
Agelas clathrodes, also known as the orange elephant ear sponge, is a species of sea sponge. It lives on reefs in the Caribbean, usually more than 10 metres (33 ft) below the surface of the ocean. It takes various forms, and its color is reddish orange.
Description
The orange elephant ear sponge is very variable in form. It may be encrusting, developing a thickness up to 10 cm (4 in) thick or have large, flabby lobes or be fan-, tube- or ridge-shaped. Large specimens may combine several of these forms. The surfaces are perforated by small holes, both circular and irregularly elongate, especially on the side away from the current. The flesh is tough, firm and resilient and the thick surface skin is rough to the touch. The colour can vary from yellow, through orange to brick red or brown.
This sponge can be confused with Agelas citrina but that species is usually pinkish or creamy yellow.
Begin with the source’s own compact description: “Agelas clathrodes” is species of sponge. The dossier treats that line as a proposition to test through Agelas, clathrodes and species, not as a finished interpretation.
Why this record matters
The phrase “species of sponge” supplies a clear boundary for inquiry. It also exposes the unanswered questions: who defined that boundary, when it became stable and which sources sit outside it.
Datasets, specimens, observations and peer-reviewed methods provide the appropriate test for the technical claims summarized here. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 20, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q1074242. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
A general summary may omit uncertainty, sample limits or methodological disagreement that is explicit in the technical record. The source lead contains qualifying language; that uncertainty should survive quotation, summary and reuse. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Check terminology, classification and the date of the cited evidence. Scientific names and technical consensus can change while older records retain historical value.
- Current terminology
- Classification context
- Finding cited technical literature
Primary datasets, specimen catalogues, standards bodies and the most recent peer-reviewed literature.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Agelas clathrodes”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Agelas clathrodes primary sources, Agelas clathrodes archive and Agelas research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Agelas clathrodes”?
- Is the terminology current, historical or disputed?
- Which observation, specimen, dataset or publication supports the account?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Agelas clathrodes” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.