1. Porifera
By Emily Globe and Leigha MacPherson

2. 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

3. 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

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

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

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

7. 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

8. 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)

9. 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

10. 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

11. WORKS CITED
"Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Agelas Conifera: CLASSIFICATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"Investigation." About Sponges. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"Porifera: Life History and Ecology." Life History and Ecology of Porifera. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
Ritter, Bob, Christine Adam-Carr, and Doug Fraser. Biology 11. 1st ed. N.p.: Nelson Education, Print.
"Sea Sponges Through History." The Sea Sponge Company⢠Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"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
"World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870)." World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae." World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept
"WoRMS Photogallery." WoRMS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept