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 marine

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 "porebearing."

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.
2.
Beating flagellum forces water into the
sponge (bringing nutrients and oxygen &
carrying out waste
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 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7E1rq7zHLc&feature=fvw
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
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVavqt4Sbyo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_GDEFUrZ2Y
http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/journal/the-worldslargest-sponge-farm.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-sea-sponges-usedfor.htm
Ecological Importance
Provide habitats for marine animals
such as snails, shrimp, and shrimp
 Spicules can redirect sunlight to
photosynthetic organisms below
