Pseudoceratina | |
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Pseudoceratina crassa, also called the Branching Tube Sponge | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Porifera |
Class: | Demospongiae |
Order: | Verongiida |
Family: | Pseudoceratinidae |
Genus: | Pseudoceratina Carter, 1885 |
Species[1] | |
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Synonyms[1] | |
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Pseudoceratina is a genus of sponge within the family Pseudoceratinidae. They are characterized by possession of a dendritic fiber skeleton lacking laminar bark but containing pith. They have been found in a variety of habitats including the Great Barrier reef (Queensland, Australia), the Red Sea, and Jamaica. Sponges of this genus have a microbiome known to produce a variety of chemicals that are used in pharmaceutical and anti-fouling activities. Notably, a species in this genus produces a chemical that is effective in inhibiting the migration of metastatic breast cancer cells.