Caridina spongicola — obligate sponge association
A peer-reviewed Biology Letters study describes Caridina spongicola from Lake Towuti as the first known freshwater shrimp–sponge association. The shrimp occurs exclusively on and in a yet-undescribed spongillinid freshwater sponge in a very restricted part of Lake Towuti's outlet bay, with observed depths around 3–5 m and records extending to about 10 m. The paper characterizes the relationship as exclusive and probably commensal, and reports that related Towuti species are h
Claim class: DOCUMENTED / PRIMARY SCIENTIFIC SOURCE; EVIDENCE-BACKED HABITAT-SPECIALIZATION.
Feeding interpretation boundary
The sponge association is strong habitat evidence, but the recovered paper does not demonstrate that the shrimp consumes sponge tissue or that sponge material is nutritionally required. Therefore Aquapedia must not convert sponge-associated into sponge-feeding or prescribe sponge products as food.
For captive-diet inheritance, retain the broader Sulawesi Caridina grazing/biofilm/periphyton research queue until species-specific gut-content, stable-isotope, or controlled feeding evidence is found. Commercial Sulawesi food claims remain lower confidence unless independently supported.
Public research references
Listed research leads are not automatically supporting evidence for every individual claim.