Sneezing isn’t just for landlubbers.
This action not only helps the sponge it also provides food for other ocean animals.
Coral reef ecologist Niklas Kornder of the University of Amsterdam led thestudy published in the journal Current Biologyon Wednesday.
The paper took a deep dive into why sponges sneeze.
Sponges are filter feeders that pump water through their bodies to sift out organic matter.
The water travels in through inflow channels and out through outflow channels.
The researchers observed sponges in aquariums and filmed their behavior.
The sneeze-like events happened every three to eight hours.
The researchers shared time-lapse videos of sponges sneezing.
The close-up views look like alien worlds in upheaval.
One video shows a Chelonaplysilla sponge, which is a dark blue/purple color.
Another video shows a reddish Aplysina archeri, which can be found in the Caribbean.
The sponge sneezes are a valuable source of food for other ocean dwellers.
The team observed marine animals, including fish, snacking on the mucus expelled by sponges.
Humans can be grateful that our sneezes tend to be short-lived.
