Polymastia pepo

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Polymastia pepo
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Class: Demospongiae
Order: Hadromerida
Family: Polymastiidae
Genus: Polymastia
Species: P. pepo
Binomial name
Polymastia pepo
Kelly-Borges & Bergquist, 1997

Polymastia pepo is a species of demosponge belonging to the family Polymastiidae. It is a common species of rocky subtidal and intertidal habitats in the far north of North Island, New Zealand.

This is a large, often spherical sponge up to 40 cm in diameter. It is firm and bright orange and rather resembles a pumpkin (hence the specific name: "pepo" is Latin for "pumpkin").

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