It occurs in the Indo-Pacific region and is a bioeroding species, with various specialisations for living on and inside calcareous substrates such as massive corals and molluscs.

Its range extends from East Africa and Madagascar, through India and the Maldives, to northern Australia, the Philippines, and many island groups in the Western Pacific Ocean.

These are planktonic, and when sufficiently developed, settle on a suitable substrate and undergo metamorphosis into juvenile sponges.

On suitable calcareous substrates such as coralline rock, massive corals and mollusc shells, pieces of solid material are chipped away using chemicals produced by "etching cells" and the sponge tunnels into the material.

[5] The fluted giant clam Tridacna squamosa is attacked in this way, and corals attacked include Goniopora tenuidens, Porites sp., Astreopora listeri, Favites halicora, Dipsastraea pallida, Goniastrea retiformis and Cyphastrea serailia.