About Agelas conifera (Schmidt, 1870)
Agelas conifera, commonly called the brown tube sponge, is a species of sponge. It displays an exterior color of brown, tan, or greyish brown, with a lighter colored interior. This sponge is commonly found in the Caribbean and the Bahamas, and occurs only occasionally in Florida. Agelas conifera produces bromopyrrole alkaloids, most notably sceptrin and oroidin. These compounds act as feeding deterrents, and their levels rise when the sponge is exposed to predation. Agelas conifera shows a distinct wound response: it increases both the production and release of bromopyrrole alkaloids, which also appear to provide protection against harmful microorganisms.
