| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Anchored Lifeform |
| Category | Sponges |
| Attitude | Passive |
| Biome | Shallows |
| Scan Tool | Bioscanner |
The Jack Sponge is an anchored lifeform commonly found affixed to Coral Domes. Several scannable specimens can also be located on the Spider Dome.
Appearance
The Jack Sponge has a simple body consisting of a group of yellow, tubular structures with a rugose surface texture. A variation of the Jack Sponge shares the color scheme of the Coral Dome. The anchoring point to the coral presents with a teal coloration, which transitions in a gradient to orange towards the hole (osculus) at the top.
This variant emits vibrant hues of light at night; the osculus glows yellow, while the outer surface glows teal. Variations in texture on the outer surface create different light displays, such as circular rings (comparable to barnacles) or surface wrinkles/ridges that result in darker hues in the grooves compared to the crests.
Databank Entry
Databank autogeneration interrupted. Script hook found in allocated memory. Executing
Unpacking archived data.
"Nahema, voice log. go. Earth's last great man joked that the Creator must love stars and beetles, because it made so many of them. Two hundred years later we've found a lot of alien life. And guess what? Not many beetles. Sorry, Jack, But look—your Creator's still playing favorites. Wherever it works, it seems to get started with a sponge."
Databank generation interrupted. Outputting last good draft (terse):
Sponge. Simplest animal. Amoebic cells work together to pump water—in through pores, out through hole (osculum) at top. Feeds on suspended nutrients. Reproduces sexually or by asexual fragmentation.
Presence of spongelike life: ambiguous survival sign/ Suggests loosely Earthlike biosphere (not radically hostile). However, large size suggests many available nutrients—either due to a productive ecosystem or a mass dieoff.
Most religious and ethical systems permit harm to sponges.
Source: Scan a Jack Sponge
Gallery
 A Jack Sponge affixed to the top of a Coral Dome
 Unscannable Jack Sponges on a Coral Dome
 Unscannable Jack Sponges atop the Crab Tower
 Another unscannable variant from the Graveyard
Trivia
- The name of the Jack Sponge references the scientist John Burdon Sanderson "Jack" Haldane, who was once quoted as saying, "If one could conclude as to the nature of the Creator from a study of creation, it would appear that God has an inordinate fondness for stars and beetles." This quote is directly referenced by the Pioneer Nahema Nakota in the databank entry.
