About Amphimedon queenslandica Hooper & van Soest, 2006
Amphimedon queenslandica, previously classified as Reniera sp., is a sponge species native to the Great Barrier Reef. Its full genome has been sequenced, and it has been used as a study subject for multiple research projects focused on the evolution of metazoan development. This species was first discovered in 1998 on Heron Island Reef by Sally Leys, who was searching for sponges that produce larvae to study polarity. It was formally described as a new species by John Hooper and Rob van Soest in 2006. Like most sponge species, Amphimedon queenslandica has a biphasic life cycle: its larvae exist in a planktonic phase, while adult individuals are benthic bottom-dwellers. This sponge is hermaphroditic and reproduces through spermcast spawning: it releases sperm into the surrounding water but retains eggs inside its body, where fertilization occurs internally. Embryos develop inside specialized brood chambers until they reach a specific size, then disperse as parenchymella larvae. During their larval stage, these larvae have a strong preference for dark environments. This sponge cannot be easily, and in most cases cannot be successfully, maintained in captivity.
