Strange Sponge-like Fungus Discovered – Named After 'Sponge Bob'
Just reading the comically scientific name of this newly discovered species of fungus — Spongiforma squarepantsii — is sufficient to produce smirks and a raised eyebrows, but its discovery is a rare find for mycologists; resembling a typical sea sponge, the hole-pocked fungus is only the second known member of the Spongiforma genus. The name literally translates as “the sponge form of square pants” and true to its name (though not square), the fungus has a remarkable ability to retain water; it can be squeezed like a sponge to extract its store of water.
