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A marine biologist has spotted a sea sponge and starfish that look like the cartoon characters Spongebob Squarepants and Patrick.

Sadly the creatures weren't found in Bikini Bottom, but on the side of an underwater mountain called Retriever Seamount, about one mile underwater and 200 miles east of New York City, in the US.

The duo were spotted by Marine biologist and starfish expert Christopher Mah, who was reviewing footage from a recent mission by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

He tweeted a picture of the creatures and said: "I normally avoid these refs... but WOW. REAL LIFE SpongeBob and Patrick!"

"I thought it would be funny to make the comparison, which for once was actually kind of comparable to the iconic images/colours of the cartoon characters," said Christopher.

"As a biologist who specializes in sea stars, most depictions of Patrick and Spongebob are incorrect."

The SpongeBob-like sponge belongs to the Hertwigia genus, and Christopher said he was pretty surprised by it's bright yellow colour, as these sponges are usually orange or white this deep underwater, to help them blend in with their environment.

The Patrick-like starfish is actually known as a Chondraster. It has five arms covered in tiny suckers, which it uses to move along the seafloor.

However, the Spongebob-like sponge should be wary of its starfish companion, as they are carnivores who actually eat sponges in the wild! Yikes! Be careful Spongebob!

What do you think of the real life Spongebob and Patrick? Let us know in the comments.