Porifera By Emily Globe and Leigha MacPherson

What are Porifera? A Phylum under the Kingdom Animalia More commonly known as Sea Sponges First evolved over 500 million years ago Considered the most primitive animals

CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALIA CHARACTERISTICS OF PORIFERA Multicellular Eukaryotic Heterotrophic Reproduce sexually and/or asexually Multicellular Eukaryotic Heterotrophic Reproduce sexually and asexually Feed through filtration Live in aquatic environments (freshwater and saltwater) No exact symmetry Lack true tissues, organs, and germ layers High cellular mobilty

CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOB MARLEY SPONGE KINGDOM: ANIMALIA PHYLUM: PORIFERA CLASS: DEMOSPONGAIE ORDER: AXENELLIDA FAMILY: AXENELLIDAE GENUS: PIPESTELA SPECIES: Pipestela candelabra

CLASSIFICATION OF THE STINKER SPONGE KINGDOM: ANIMALIA PHYLUM: PORIFERA CLASS: DEMOSPONGAIE ORDER: KERATOSA FAMILY: SPONGIIDAE GENUS: IRCINIA SPECIES: Ircinia felix

CLASSIFICATION OF THE BROWN TUBE SPONGE KINGDOM: ANIMALIA PHYLUM: PORIFERA CLASS: DEMOSPONGAIE ORDER: AGELASIDA FAMILY: AGELASIDAE GENUS: AGELAS SPECIES: Agelas conifera

LIFE CYCLE OF A SEA SPONGE Porifera start as free swimming larvae They anchor themselves on the ocean floor During adulthood, sperm is released, which can enter a female sponge and fertilize eggs The larvae are released and the cycle begins again Sponges can also reproduce asexually by budding

MAINTAINING HOMEOSTASIS All Porifera are sessile Tiny flagella circulate a current of water through pores in the sponge This water contains tiny pieces of food, as well as oxygen Collar cells and amoebocytes digest food Waste and carbon dioxide is excreted through the osculum (open end of the sponge)

INTERESTING FACTS Considered to be the very first living animals Porifera are hermaphrodites: they can be both male and female Act as a home for smaller organisms Inspired the main character of the popular children’s cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants Porifera skeletons have been used by humans for cleaning and bathing since the time of the Ancient Greeks The name Porifera means “bearing pores” in Latin

CHANGES IN CLASSIFICATION OF PORIFERA Aristotle considered sea sponges to be plants The presence of spicules used to be part of the criteria for classifying organisms as Porifera We now have three classes under the Phylum Porifera: Hexactinellida, Calcerea, and Demospongaie The class Sclerospongaie was previously used, but is no longer considered valid

WORKS CITED "Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Agelas Conifera: CLASSIFICATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Investigation." About Sponges. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Porifera: Life History and Ecology." Life History and Ecology of Porifera. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. Ritter, Bob, Christine Adam-Carr, and Doug Fraser. Biology 11. 1st ed. N.p.: Nelson Education, 2002. Print. "Sea Sponges Through History." The Sea Sponge Company⢠Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "This Site Offers Information on Thousands of Different Species in the World's Oceans and Seas. The Aim and Contents of This Portal, as Well as the Lastest Updates, Are Treated in Detail under about This Site." Marine Species Identification Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870)." World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae." World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "WoRMS Photogallery." WoRMS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.