But long before the colourful cartoon character showed up on television screens, there was the Latrunculia tutu — more affectionately known as the ballerina sponge, because it has a microskeleton that resembles the skirt of a ballerina.
The fossilised sponge was found in Oamaru Stone, and was recently named as one of the top-10 new marine species on the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS).
The 35-million-year-old specimen was discovered and illustrated in 1892 by professors George Hinde and Sir Richard Holmes at the British Museum, but it was never officially named.
More recently, Niwa taxonomists Michelle Kelly and Carina Sim-Smith described the sponge from a microfossil spicule — the needle-like structures that sponges use as a structural skeleton and as a defence against predators.
"These spicules typically line the surface of the living sponge and are smaller than the width of a human hair," Dr Sim-Smith said.
"It has a wonderful structure with a pair of whorls around the middle like the bodice and skirt of a ballerina, and a small ring of spines at the top that resembles a crown.
"While it’s only been found at one location [Oamaru] in a fossilised form, many similar Latrunculia species are alive and well in New Zealand and Antarctica.
"Members of this group are often colourful, ranging from green to turquoise-blue, purple or brown, and some even contain molecules with anti-cancer and anti-microbial properties."
She said the Ballerina sponge was described and named by scientists from Niwa as part of their 2022 Biodiversity Memoir, an illustrated reference work that captures the study of New Zealand’s distinctive marine fauna and flora.
The initial shortlist of 2000 newly described species from around the world was chosen by a committee of volunteers to reflect the immense diversity of animal groups in the marine environment, including those notable for their interest to both science and the public.
The final decision was completed by public vote.
Other species named in this year’s list included the Satan’s Mud Dragon, Japanese Retweet Mite, and Fluffy Sponge Crab.
