New sea sponges found in Bight waters

Three new species of sea sponges have been found in the Great Australian Bight.

Brazilian sponge expert Michelle Klautau has confirmed that samples collected from the Bight last year include three previously unseen species of calcareous sponges.

Professor Klautau, who was in South Australia for a workshop, is one of only a handful of experts around the world capable of identifying calcareous sponges which are considered extremely difficult to spot.