Summary Terpios hoshinota , a dark encrusting sponge, is known to be a competitor for space in coral reef environments, and facilitates the death of corals. Although numerous cyanobacteria have been detected in the sponge, little is known of the sponge‐associated bacterial community. This study examined the sponge‐associated bacterial community and the difference between the bacterial communities in the sponge and the coral pa...