Self-moving, self-cloning sponge could restore degraded harbours

The chicken kidney sponge, known scientifically as Chondrosia reniformis, is emerging as a potential tool for restoring degraded marine harbors. Unlike standard filtration methods, this species demonstrates the ability to survive in polluted conditions and undergo a process of self-cloning. In a trial involving 42 sponges transplanted into a Spanish marina, 91.7% of the specimens survived for 455 days, showing active movement and clone production as they filtered the surrounding water.

Earth.com, Popular Science, and Oceanographic Magazine describe the sponge as an effective, mobile agent for water remediation. The Times of India provides specific data on the survival rate of the sponges during the transplant study, noting the organisms' resilience in high-pollution environments. While the sponges successfully survived and cloned in the studied marine setting, coverage does not yet specify the long-term scalability of this biological intervention or potential risks to non-target ecosystems.

Data regarding the speed at which these clones can improve water quality across larger harbor areas is not yet available.