VENUS'S FLOWER BASKET

any of several sponges of the genus Euplectella, especially E. aspergillum (class Hyalospongiae, glass sponges). The name Venus's flower basket derives from the sponges' delicate, white, latticelike skeletons. In the living animal the skeleton is covered by a thin layer of cells. E. aspergillum is found in a small area of the sea near the Philippine Islands. Similar species occur near Japan and in other parts of the western Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean. The animal's skeleton, or basket, is a curved tube about 25 cm (10 inches) long. A tuft of fibres at the narrow base attaches the animal to the sea bottom. Euplectella species feed on organic debris and microscopic organisms that are drawn into its central cavity through numerous holes in the body wall. The skeleton of Venus's flower basket is a prized curio. In Japan it is regarded as a symbol of eternal love.