Animal Kingdom Phylum Porifera Phylum Cnidaria Biology 112

Phylum Porifera (sponges)

Phylum Porifera – SPONGES There are about 10,000 species of the phylum Porifera (sponges), all of which are aquatic or marinePorifera Only phylum in the subkingdom Parazoa (multicellular / not very specialized!) Sponges are the simplest of multi-cellular animals

Sponges… Sponge bodies are very diverse in form Most are asymmetrical Do not have a mesoderm No organs, can produce toxins A sponge is a bottom-dwelling creature which attaches itself to something solid in a place where it can, hopefully, receive enough food to grow. (larval stage is motile)

Sponges… The scientific term for sponges is Porifera which literally means "pore- bearing." A sponge is covered with tiny pores, called ostia, which lead internally to a system of canals and eventually out to one or more larger holes, called oscula

Sponges… In canals of sponges are specialized choanocytes, commonly known as collar cells. They are sticky, funnel shapes with flagellum. Functions of choanocytes (collar cells): 1. Beating flagellum forces water into the sponge (bringing nutrients and oxygen & carrying out waste 2. sticky collars of the collar cells pick up tiny bits of food brought in with the water

Sponges.. Another type of cell is an archaeocyte, also called an amebocyte, takes the food to other cells within the sponge How do you think these cells move? Amebocytes are very effective feeders eating a wide size range of food particles and transport digested food throughout the sponge.

Sponge Skeletons The skeleton is made of tiny needle like splinters called spicules (hard), a mesh of protein called spongin (soft), or a combination of both! Your bath sponge is actually dried skeletons composed of the protein material spongin. (The living remains of the sponge is gone)

Cross Section of a Sponge: Sponge filtering -

Sponge Sex…. Most are hermaphroditic, but produce only one type of gamete per spawn. Asexually – regeneration Sexually – sperm and eggs The sperm is released into the water column by the "male" sponge and finds its way to the "female" sponges, where fertilization occurs internally

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Ecological Importance Provide habitats for marine animals such as snails, shrimp, and shrimp Spicules can redirect sunlight to photosynthetic organisms below