Spongia officinalis grows in massive, globular lobes with fine openings which are slightly elevated and have cone … See more

Spongia officinalis can be found in the Mediterranean Sea along the coasts of Croatia, Greece, the Aegean islands, Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Italy, France and Spain.
They are di… See more

Spongia officinalis can reproduce asexually via budding or fragmentation.
Sexual reproduction is also common in S. officinalis. Individuals can be dioecious, either male or female, or sequential hermaphro… See more

Spongia officinalis was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1759. The common names "bath sponge," "Fina Dalmata," and "Matapas" are usually used to refer to this species. See more

The use of bath sponges for bathing and other purposes originated in Greece and spread all around Europe during the Middle Ages. From there, the use of sponges spread further, with Mediterranean bath sponges cu… See more