Sponges Kingdom Animalia Phylum Porifera Subkingdom – Parazoa (lacks tissues) Phylum – Porifera (has pores or pore-bearing) Rope-Sponge-457x303 http://www.google.com/search?q=google+images+rope+sponges&safe=active&client=safari&rls=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=mdM1UoiVE-_22AWqzoCQCw&ved=0CAkQ_AUoAQ&biw=1280&bih=590&dpr=1#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=AD_-ByNdwtQesM%3A%3BEJh2-gC1fLQbYM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.coralreefphotos.com%252Fwp-content%252Fuploads%252F2010%252F03%252FRope-Sponge-457x303.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.coralreefphotos.com%252Fcategory%252Focean-realm%252Fsponges%252Fpage%252F4%252F%3B457%3B303

Vase sponge http://reefguide.org/carib/pixhtml/azurevase6.html Sponges are the simplest form of multicellular animals, just up from protozoans and down from cnidarians (stinging-celled like corals and anemones) in most taxonomic schemes. They don't, in fact, have tissues or organs. Their cells are somewhat unspecialized and quite independent, more like a commune or colony than a single animal. Vase sponge

Porifera Porifera means “pore-bearing” and refers to the numerous pores and channels that permeate a sponge’s body. Phylum Porifera includes about 8000 species almost all of which are marine and come in many colors About 150 freshwater species, color green, members of the family Spongillidae. Sponges occur worldwide at all latitudes from the intertidal zone to the deep sea. Range in size from a few millimeters to 2 meters across Some tropical sponges can live 200 years, the largest are thought to be thousands of years old Temperate sponges species live only a few years One source said 5000 species. You’ll find sponges in tidal zones, and if you could dive to a depth of more than 8,800 meters, you would find sponges there, as well…some from here http://www.sdtn.com/dive_resources/technical_articles/magical-world-sponges#.UjXvCihBDao

Sponges are plastic Sponges may be bulky, spherical or tree-like, or appear as incrustations vary in thickness and are found in all colours a single species can vary in shape and colour depending on its habitat. appearance due to environment (light levels, hydrodynamics, etc.) Have few predators: sea slugs graze on them http://www.sdtn.com/dive_resources/technical_articles/magical-world-sponges#.UjXvCihBDao leatherybarrelspounge6 pinklumpysponge1 key largo http://reefguide.org/carib/elephantear.html Elephantear3 bonaire http://reefguide.org/home.html Florent’s guide to the tropical reef

strawberrysponge6 star encrustingsponge2 clathrinacanariensis1 redboring4 http://reefguide.org/carib/index24.html#Sponges

Porifera: Simplest of all animals Sponges have no tissue or organs, Contain specialized cells but no other organization level filtration of water is carried out by their aquifer system: channels and small chambers lined with specialized cells (choanocytes) that create currents of water and retain nutritive particles gain their nourishment from microscopic detritus, bacteria, and micro-algae suspended in the water. Sponges are therefore suspensivores Sponges are the simplest multi-cellular organisms, but they lack the germ layers of more complex metazoans. Have a cellular level of organization lacking true tissues and organs. Body is a mass of cells imbedded in a gelatinous matrix (mesohyl) which is supported by a framework of spicules, as well as collagen and spongin fibers

Water Flow Through the Sponge WATER OUT Water Flow Through the Sponge WATER IN Osculum Copyright cmassengill

Porifera feeding Sponges are sessile (they don’t move) depend on water movement to bring in food and oxygen and remove wastes. Sponges generate their own flow of water having a unique water current system.  While some sponges are completely stationary, others are capable of moving a few millimeters each day.  http://www.spongeguide.org/ pics from

Porifera feeding Choanocytes Water enters Through many small pores called ostia and exits through fewer, larger oscula. Openings are connected by a series of canals, which are lined by choanocytes (the flagellated collar cells) that maintain the current and filter out food particles. Drawing from http://www.google.com/search?safe=active&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1280&bih=590&q=choanocyte+cell&oq=choanocyt&gs_l=img.1.1.0l4j0i24l6.2414.4192.0.5745.9.7.0.2.2.0.85.557.7.7.0....0...1ac.1.26.img..0.9.563.Wj8PUfSeEas#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=35rcVvaQBeTxuM%3A%3BRKcwzyaFVMsHJM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsalinella.bio.uottawa.ca%252Fdigitalzoology%252FPorifera%252FImages%252FChoanocyte.gif%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fsalinella.bio.uottawa.ca%252Fdigitalzoology%252FPorifera%252Fdefault.php%253FPori_03-DefiningDiff_E.htm%3B205%3B200 Choanocytes

Porifera feeding The choanocyte’s collar consists of microvilli joined together by delicate microfibrils,which filter out tiny food particles. The beating of the flagellum draws water through the collar and out the top. Particles too big to pass through the collar get trapped in mucus and slide down the collar to the base where they are phagocytized. Sponges contain internal channels that contain a type of cell called choanocytes that have flagella that cause water to flow through the channels to bring in food and oxygen and to take out carbon dioxide other waste products

Porifera feeding Amebocytes: Sponges can filter enormous volumes of water as much as 20,000 times the volume of the sponge in 24 hours. Sea water contains about 65 milligrammes of silicon per litre. Demosponges and hexactinallida Sponges are able to extract the silicate from the water and precipitate it as the silica. Sponges mostly consume bacteria and may filter as much as 90% of those passing through. Amebocytes: Pick up food from choanocytes Finish digestion Move through the mesenchyme & take food to other cells

www.sponges.fr  website all about sponges, French, translated into English Inside body cavity of sponge is hollow Called the Spongocoel Have 2 cell layers: Outer epidermis Inner endoderm Jelly-like material between cell layers called mesenchyme

Amoebocytes

Skeletal Structure of the Sponge Sponges are divided into three main classes based on the structure of their endoskeletons: Calcarea, Demosponges, and Glass Sponges. Skeleton made of network of protein fibers called Spongin, silk-like scleroprotein Spicules are hard spear or star-shaped structures Spicules made of CaCO3 (limestone) or silica (glass) Skeletal structures of sponges are spicules and spongin fibres. Spicules are formed by carbonates of lime or silica in the form of needle like pieces. Spongin fibres are composed of a silk-like scleroprotein. SPICULESThe spicules constitute major part of skeletal system, which are secreted by special mesenchymal cells called scleroblasts. They are in the shape of spines or rays that radiate from the centre.  Spicules possess a core of organic material around which is deposited either calcium carbonate or silica.On the basis of the material they are formed of, spicules are of two types:  Calcareous, made of calcium carbonate and characteristic of the class Calcarea and Siliceous, made of silica and characteristic of the class Hexactinellida.According to the size, spicules are classified into two major types:   Megascleres, which are large-sized and constitute main supporting framework of sponge body and Microscleres, which are smaller in size and occur in the mesenchyme SKELETAL STRUCTURES IN PORIFERA(Dr. Girish Chandra) http://www.iaszoology.com/skeleton-in-sponges/

Spongin Venus flower basket Traditionally the living species of sponges have been divided into three Classes:Calcarea—sponges with calcium carbonate spicules. Demospongiae—sponges with silica spicules. (Though some of these do not have spicules at all.) About nine out of every ten known species of sponge belong to this group.Hexactinellida—sponges with spicules with six points directed to the vertices of an octahedron. Modern species are generally only found at great depths, although a few species occur at shallow depths off Antarctica. They are considered rare, but may actually simply be out of the zones of the sea commonly observed by humans.Some taxonomists list a fourth class, Sclerospongiae. These have massive skeletons of calcium carbonate. They are often called reef sponges.Another class of sponges, Archaeocyatha, lived in the Cambrian period and is extinct…http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artfeb08/rp-sponges.html Spongin Venus flower basket

Spicules: silica or calcium carbonate sponge_spicules_06_300x310_rathl in_sponges_divernet.com Spongin is an organic horny, elastic substance consisting of scleroprotein that is rich in sulphur and is chemically similar to collagen and sericin. It contains hydroxyproline and glycine in large proportions and also contains glucosamine, glucose, galactosamine and galactose mannose, fucose, arabinose and uronic acid. Spongin is insoluble in water and acids but soluble in KOH. It is chemically inert and cannot be digested by the digestive enzymes. Spongin contains a large amount of iodine, up to 14% in certain tropical species sponge_spicules_09_600x400 Venus'%20Flower%20Basket%20(Euplectella%20aspergillum)%20%7C%20Flickr%20-%20Photo%20Sharing!.webarchive

Reproduction Sponges reproduce asexually by budding Also reproduce by fragmentation (pieces break off & form a new sponge) Sponges can regenerate (regrow) lost body parts through mitotic cell division (asexual) This property makes spongiculture possible When cut or partially torn away (or nibbled), sponges are capable of forming scars and regenerating their lost parts.  These amazing animals reproduce by both sexual and asexual means, and while a few species reproduce by budding, the majority of sponges form larvae which swim away from their parents to find a place to settle. http://www.sdtn.com/dive_resources/technical_articles/magical-world-sponges#.UjXvCihBDao fixed in the adult state (the larvae actually swim http://www.spongeguide.org/ pics from

Survival Pods Gemmules are specialized buds made to survive harsh weather (hot or cold) Contain food, amebocytes, and a protective covering of spicules Released when a sponge dies Resist dessication (drying out) Become adult sponge conditions become favorable Under certain conditions (on occasion, stress) sponges are capable of producing buds, which lead to a new sponge. To survive harsh conditions:  Some sponges produce survival pods, which stay dormant until appropriate growth conditions occur.

Reproduction Sponges are hermaphrodites (produce both eggs & sperm) Sponge releasing eggs and sperm Sponges are hermaphrodites (produce both eggs & sperm) Sponges reproduce Sexually by releasing eggs & sperm into the water from the Osculum Cross-fertilize each other’s eggs Free-swimming larval stage called Dipleurula

Azure_Vase_Sponge and A_Coney_in_a_Vase_Sponge from google images vase sponge

Barrel sponges Rope sponges Aplysina_cauliformisANT rope sponge http://www.wetwebmedia.com/sponges.htm Pink chalinulanematifera1 west pacificbarrel sponge http://www.spongeguide.org/ pics from Rope sponges

Pink azurevase3 bonaire yellow noaa_sponges_600 http://www. google

Sponge skeleton consists of fibres of spongine, a sort of collagen, which gives these sponges "suppleness, elasticity, and softness". Hippospongia communis (Lamarck, 1814), the common or "honey comb" sponge, is the species most often caught in the Mediterranean. It may grow very large (several dozen centimetres or about a foot in diameter). Its network of channels is the most "cavernous", giving it a remarkable power of absorption

Carnivorous / Symbiotic A few sponges capture small prey, such as crustaceans. Members of the family Cladorhizidae capture their prey using spicules that act like velcro to hold the prey. Cells then surround and digest prey extracellularly. Some sponges supplement their filter feeding by hosting symbionts such as green algae, dinoflagellates or cyanobacteria. Can get nutrients in ways other than filterfeeding

Types of cells in Porifera Sponge cells occur scattered through a gelatinous matrix called mesohyl. Spicules are distributed through the mesohyl as are several different specialized cells types.

Sponge cell types Archaeocytes: move around within the mesohyl. They are ameboid in appearance and carry out several tasks. Phagocytize particles and receive particles for digestion from choanocytes. Can differentiate into other specialized cell types. Secrete structural components. Specialized archaeocytes called sclerocytes, spongocytes and collenocytes secrete respectively spicules, spongin and collagen.

Sponge cell types Choanocytes: (collar cells) engage in filter feeding. One end is imbedded in mesohyl and the other end protrudes. The protruding end of the choanocyte has a flagellum that moves water through a mesh-like collar where small particles are trapped. Porocytes: These are tubular cells that in the simplest type of sponge (asconoid sponges) form tubes through the wall of the sponge and allow water to flow into the central chamber

Sponge cell types Pinacocytes: Layers of pinacocytes form a flat, thin epithelium-like layer Pinacocytes cover exterior and some interior surfaces. have some ability to contract arranged in bands around pores and use to regulate the flow of water in and out of the sponge. (unlike true epithelium [a tissue] the individual cells are not joined by bands of extracellular proteins).

Canal systems Most sponges have one of three types of canal system: Asconoid Syconoid Leuconoid These systems differ from in each other in the increasing complexity.

Sponge reproduction Sponges reproduce both sexually and asexually. Most sexually reproducing species are hermaphrodites (individuals produce both male and female gametes at different times). Sperm are shed into the water and taken up by other sponges. Individuals with eggs use special cells called archaeocytes to transport sperm to the eggs.

Sponge reproduction Zygotes develop into ciliated larvae that are released into the water and eventually settle and develop into a sponge. Asexual reproduction is either by budding or more commonly the production of gemmules which are clusters of cells surrounded by a protective coat.

Totipotency Sponges possess several different types of cells. All sponge cells are totipotent and can give rise to any of the other types of cell. A single cell can give rise to a new sponge Can self-assemble with other cells into a sponge Individual cells hook on to other cells almost as if as Dawkins suggests “they were autonomous protozoa with sociable tendencies.” Image http://www.sdtn.com/dive_resources/technical_articles/magical-world-sponges#.UjXucChBDao scubadivertravelnetwork a sponge separated into its constituent cells will spontaneously reassemble

Groups of sponges There are three classes of sponges: Class Calcarea - spicules are made of calcium carbonate Tend to be small (<10cm) and tubular or vase shaped Class Hexactinellida –six-rayed siliceous spicules bound in a glasslike lattice Nearly all are deep sea forms Body of hexactinellids consists of a single, syncytial tissue (mass of protoplasm containing many nuclei, but not divided into cells) Class Demospongiae

Demospongiae Includes about 80% of all species Includes the freshwater Spongillidae Spicules siliceous, spongin or both. All members are leuconoid (more complex canals) Comprise most of the large sponges Loggerhead sponges may be 5 ft in diameter and weigh 700 lbs Includes the bath sponges, which have only spongin skeletons.

Origins of multicellularity Choanocytes the collar cells of sponges bear a striking resemblance to free-living unicellular choanoflagellates. Choanoflagellate Choanocytes

Unknown sponge

1424u giant sponge 1455u purple sponge http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artfeb08/rp-sponges.html pics from 1455u purple sponge