A. queenslandica was first discovered in 1998 on
Heron Island Reef by
Sally Leys when looking for sponges with larvae to study polarity,[6] and was formally described by
John Hooper and
Rob van Soest in 2006.[1] Like most sponges it has a biphasic life cycle, passing through a
planktonic phase whilst a larva, but later becoming a
benthic dweller.[6] It is hermaphroditic, and reproduces via spermcast spawning,[4] meaning it releases sperm into water but retains eggs, which are fertilised internally.[7] The embryos develop in brood chambers until they reach a certain size, then disperse as
parenchymella larvae.[6][8] During this larval stage, they have a strong preference for darkness.[6][9][3] The sponge is difficult or impossible to maintain in captivity.[6]
Genetics
The
genome of Amphimedon queenslandica was sequenced in 2009 to provide insights into the evolution of animal complexity[4] and was the first sponge to be sequenced. Subsequent research has also sequenced the
genome of the freshwater sponge Ephydatia muelleri.[10]
^
abcSrivastava, M.; Simakov, O.; Chapman, J.; Fahey, B.; Gauthier, M. E. A.; Mitros, T.; Richards, G. S.; Conaco, C.; Dacre, M.; Hellsten, U.; Larroux, C.; Putnam, N. H.; Stanke, M.; Adamska, M.; Darling, A.; Degnan, S. M.; Oakley, T. H.; Plachetzki, D. C.; Zhai, Y.; Adamski, M.; Calcino, A.; Cummins, S. F.; Goodstein, D. M.; Harris, C.; Jackson, D. J.; Leys, S. P.; Shu, S.; Woodcroft, B. J.; Vervoort, M.; Kosik, K. S. (2010).
"The Amphimedon queenslandica genome and the evolution of animal complexity". Nature. 466 (7307): 720–726.
Bibcode:
2010Natur.466..720S.
doi:
10.1038/nature09201.
PMC3130542.
PMID20686567.
^
abcdeDegnan, B. M.; Adamska, M.; Craigie, A.; Degnan, S. M.; Fahey, B.; Gauthier, M.; Hooper, J. N. A.; Larroux, C.; Leys, S. P.; Lovas, E.; Richards, G. S. (2008). "The Demosponge Amphimedon queenslandica: Reconstructing the Ancestral Metazoan Genome and Deciphering the Origin of Animal Multicellularity". Cold Spring Harbor Protocols. 2008 (13): pdb.emo108.
doi:
10.1101/pdb.emo108.
PMID21356734.