Freshwater sponge (freshwater sponge)

Japanese: 淡水カイメン(淡水海綿) - たんすいかいめん（英語表記）fresh‐water sponge

A general term for the species of marine sponges belonging to the Spongillidae family that live in rivers and lakes. They live in places where water always flows slowly, and in lakes they can be found near the inflow and outflow of water. They are attached to aquatic plants, stones, and various facilities, and the same species tends to be distributed widely around the world. There are about 150 species known worldwide and 25 species known in Japan. They are shaped like chunks, discs, branches, etc., but their external shape changes depending on the water temperature and water flow, which also affects the strength of their bone fragments and skeletons.

Source: Heibonsha World Encyclopedia, 2nd Edition Information

Japanese:

海綿動物のうち，河川や湖沼に生息するタンスイカイメン科Spongillidaeに属する種類の総称。つねに水がゆるやかに流れている場所に生息し，湖沼では水が流入，または流出する付近に見られる。水草，石や諸施設などに付着していて，同一種が世界各地に広く分布する傾向がある。世界で約150種，日本で25種が知られている。　形は塊状，盤状，樹枝状などであるが，水温の変化や水の流動によって外形が変化し，骨片や骨格の強度にも影響が生ずる。

出典　株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典第２版について　情報

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