Abstract.The majorin situphysiological activities of the common, tropical, West Atlantic demospongeVerongia(=Aplysina) fistulariswere determined in order to relate the carbon and energy budgets of this species to the two contrasting patterns documented for bacteriosponges (sponges harbouring large symbiotic bacterial populations) and non‐bacteriosponges (sponges lacking such large bacterial populations and considered “normal” sponges). Measurements of specimen dimensions and exhalant water velocity, and samples of exhalant water were obtained from undisturbed field specimens for estimation of rates of water transport, respiration and particulate organic carbon retention. Partial carbon and energy budgets were developed from calculated rates of particulate feeding, respiration and growth. The bacteriosponge,V. fistularis, is very similar toVerongulasp., another bacteriosponge, in terms of high respiration rate, 5.33 of available oxygen being removed during a single‐pass water transit, and gross imbalance in particulate carbon and energy budgets, particulate sources supplying only 14 of respiration and growth requirements. The nutrient resource spectrum ofVerongia fistularisand other bacteriosponges appears to be overwhelmingly dominated by dissolved organic matter, and thus contrasts strikingly with the present knowledge of nutrition in the normal non‐bacter
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