Phylum Porifera
I. General Information
• Kingdom : Animalia
• Phylum : Porifera
• Porifera = “pore bearer”
Yellow barrel sponge
Pink lumpy sponge
I. General Information
Size range –
1 cm
to
2 meters in diameter
Giant Barrel sponges
II. Body Structure
A. Ostia – pores – many, water IN
B. Oscula – large opening(s), one or few,
water OUT
osculum
II. Body Structure
C. Choanocytes –
collar cells;
have flagella
D. Amoebocytes –
transport food
to layer of cells
not on the
surface
II. Body Structure
E. Spicules –
“skeleton” hard
splinter-like;
made of calcium
carbonate
(CaCO3)
or silica (Si)
F. Spongin –
flexible protein
III. Level of organization
A. Cellular
B. Eukaryotic
C. No tissues
Japanese Deep Sea Sponge
IV. Symmetry
A. Some asymetrical
B. Some radial
V. Habitat
Aquatic A. Marine
and
B. Fresh-water
Purple Rope sponge
Fresh-water Sponge
VI. Feeding
•
•
•
•
•
Heterotrophic
Filter feeders
Food trapped
by choanocytes
Intracellular
digestion
(within the
cell)
No digestive
tract
VI. Feeding
–
–
–
–
Water & food goes in via ostia
Choanocytes trap food in spongocoel
Amoebocytes carry food to inner layer of
cells
Water out osculum
VII. Respiration
- via diffusion
VIII. Internal transport
• via diffusion
IX. Excretion
Via
DIFFUSION!!!!!
IX. Response
• NONE !
• No Nervous
System
• No
cephalization
Pipe organ sponge
=
X. Locomotion
movement
or motility
Larvae
Freeswimming,
use cilia
Adults
Sessile
(do NOT
move)
XI. Reproduction
1. Asexual
a. budding
b. gemmules
formed in
stress
conditions
XI. Reproduction
•
•
•
•
2. Sexual
a. Most monoecious =
both sexes in same organism
(hermaphrodites)
egg & sperm produced
cross fertilization
egg + sperm => free-swimming
larvae
XI. Reproduction
2. Sexual
b. Some dioecious
• Separate sexes
• Egg OR sperm produced
Sponge releasing sperm
XII. Ecological Roles
A. Habitat for other
aquatic animals
B. Food for some
XII. Ecological Roles
C. Home use:
bathing,
cleaning,
home improvement,
other
XII. Ecological Roles
D. Medical research
Sponges do not get cancer
Why not?
Maybe we can use what keeps them
from getting cancer to treat
humans………..
Azure Vase Sponge
Giant Barrel Sponge
White Cryptic Sponge
Elephant Ear Sponge
Stove pipe sponge
Yellow Vase Sponges
Yellow Barrel Sponge
Red Branch Sponge
How deep
would the
oceans be
if there
were no
sponges?