# River sponge (*Ephydatia fluviatilis*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/river-sponge  
Data as of: 2026-11-14

The river sponge (Ephydatia fluviatilis) is a sponge in the family Spongillidae, order Spongillida, class Demospongiae and phylum Porifera. It is also called the greater freshwater sponge or brackish water freshwater sponge, and its scientific name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1759). The Catalogue of Life lists the river sponge as a living, not extinct, species.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | Not recorded |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | freshwater |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Porifera
- class: Demospongiae
- order: Spongillida
- family: Spongillidae
- genus: Ephydatia
- species: *Ephydatia fluviatilis* (Linnaeus, 1759)

Synonyms: *Clypeatula cooperensis*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis chui*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis hastifera*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis himalayensis*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis intha*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis teberdana*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis var. capensis*, *Ephydatia fluviatilis var. himalayensis*, *Ephydatia goriaevii*, *Meyenia fluviatilis*, *Meyenia fluviatilis var. angustibirotulata*, *Meyenia fluviatilis var. gracilis*, *Meyenia mexicana*, *Spongia fluviatilis*, *Spongilla fluviatilis*, *Spongilla pulvinata*, *Spongilla sceptrifera*, *Spongilla stagnalis*

## Common questions

### What kind of animal is the river sponge?

The river sponge is a sponge, an invertebrate in the phylum Porifera and the family Spongillidae.

### What is the scientific name of the river sponge?

Its scientific name is Ephydatia fluviatilis, in the genus Ephydatia.

### Who named Ephydatia fluviatilis and when?

The species name carries the authority (Linnaeus, 1759).

### What other names does the river sponge have?

It is also called the greater freshwater sponge and the brackish water freshwater sponge.

### Is the river sponge extinct?

No. The Catalogue of Life lists it as living, not extinct.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: River sponge (Ephydatia fluviatilis). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/river-sponge