1. Porifera Salem Karani Shanery Tam Tara Templeman Period 5

2. Characteristics come in an incredible variety of colors and an amazing array of shapes predominantly marine Are amongst the oldest creatures, even dating back to the Pre-Cambrian period Body multicellular, few tissues no organs Live in aquatic environments, mostly marine Often has skeleton of spicules Cells and water surround a water filled space, but no real body cavity Has no nervous system

3. Classes There are four different sub groups within porifera –Hexactinellida sponges with a skeleton made of four- and/or six-pointed silaceous spicules, often referred to as glass sponges some researchers consider them unusual enough to deserve their own phylum, Symplasma. Glass sponges are relatively uncommon and are mostly found at depths from 450 to 900 metres Example would beVenus’ flower basket(Euplectella) palaeos.com

4. Classes (cont’d) –Demosponge largest class in the phylum Porifera (includes 90% of sponges) Their skeleton are made of spicules consisting of fibers of the protein spongin and the mineral silica they reproduce asexually and sexually There are many diverse order in this class, including all of the large sponges example would be: Spongilla, Cliona science.kennesaw.edu

5. Classes (cont’d) –Calcarea Members of this subclass are unique in that their spicules are made of calcium carbonate Also these spicules don’t have hollow axial canals Been around since Lower Cambrian period Diversity is greatest in the tropics Found mostly in the shallows Represent all three sponge body plans Many variations, but mostly drab colors. Also there are 2 subclasses and 7 orders: Calcinea-Cathrinidia, Leucettidia, Murrayonida and Calcaronea: Baeridia, Leucosolinida, Lithonidia, Sycettida Example- Sycphla Leucosolenia science.kennesaw.edu

6. Classes (cont’d) Sclerospongiae –sponges with a soft body covered with a hard outer body made of calcium carbonate –Long life span of 500-1000 years –Dense, layered skeletons similar to coral reefs –First proposed in 1970 by Hartman and Goreau –Not closely related –Fossils already known from Cambrian period –Examples:Ceratoporella nicholsoni, S. norae web1.d25.k12.id.us

7. Body plan mun.ca

8. Body Plan (cont’d) May have either radial symmetry or none at all (asymmetrical) Work like chimineys-take in water from top and release through bottom 3 plans- asconid (tube/vase shape), syconid (pleated body wall) and leuconid (full of mesophyll/tubs for controlling water flow) Control the water flow through their bodies through this and open/ close the oscullum and ostia (intake pores) in regards to currents/etc to release and intake water

9. Feeding don't have mouths have tiny pores in their outer walls through which water is drawn Cells in the sponge walls filter nutrients from the water Water flowing through pores provides food and oxygen flow is actively generated by the beating of flagella Regulation of the amount of flow through their bodies by the constriction of various openings Water drawn into central cavity (spongecoel) and flows out through larger opening (osculum) Sponges of the family Cladorhizidae are unusual in that they typically feed by capturing and digesting whole animals

10. Respiration A sponge’s excretory, circulatory and respiratory systems are basically all nonexistent-controlled instead by the water flow through its body Sponge uses its ostia pores to intake water Uses oscullum pores to let it out Sometimes has canals and such (see body plan leuconid) to control water flow better Takes in oxygen through this water flow So has to have water to live, thus most songes are water based

11. Circulation Sponges don’t have nervous, digestive, or circulatory systems Instead they rely on the constant water flow through their bodies to remove waste and to take in food and oxygen The shapes of their bodies are adapted to maximize this water flow (see the body plans) Have different sources of food-mostly the bacteria or food particles in the water that flows through them If there is poor food source available may turn carnivorous for small crustaceans Some have a symbiotic relationship with autotrophic microorganisms living in them

12. Excretion canals in the body which water flows through water leaves the sponge through the large pores called oscula (osculum for singular) The water enters the ostia, is drawn through to the spongocoel and leaves through a single large osculum

13. Response Lack nerves or muscles Individual cells sense and react to changes in the environment Has no nervous system/tissue although has flask cells (the parent of nervous tissue) Are mostly unmoving and as such has complex body structure to help with this. Mostly made of mesophyll, jelly like substance e made and reinforced by collagen Covered by pinacocytes that are plate-like and help anchor it too Have choanocytes on interior of body that use flagella to drive water through it Has myocytes (muscle cell) that helps it control its muscles Control the body tissues to control water,etc Also some special cases, such as glass sponges can transmit slight electrical charges

14. Movement Usually or almost completely Sessile However marine and freshwater species can move across the bottom at speeds of 1–4 mm per day This would be due to amoeba like movement of certain cells like pinocytes Some species can actually contract their entire bodies Many can close their osculum and ostia, which are openings on the outside of their bodies most are sedentary or immobile as adults Spend their life fixed to a substrate

15. Reproduction Reproduce sexually or asexually by releasing fragments of themselves Asexual forms include fragmentation, budding, and gemmules most sponges are hermaphroditic only one gender at a time, being either male or female or neuter a number of areas of the sponge will change to produce either sperm or ova (eggs) Sperm is released into the canals and pumped out of sponge through osculum where it is likely to be drawn into canal system of another sponge incoming sperm of same species are trapped by choanocytes which then migrate to the ovocyte, a cell generating ova, where sperm are transferred to ova

16. Works Cited Lawrence. (2006, May 4). Animal Body Plans. Retrieved from http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~efc/classes/biol170/AnimalBod yPlans-lecture41.pdfLawrence. (2006, May 4). Animal Body Plans. Retrieved from http://userwww.sfsu.edu/~efc/classes/biol170/AnimalBod yPlans-lecture41.pdf Irwin. (2007, June 17). Porifera: Life History and Ecology Retrieved from http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/porifera/poriferalh.htmlPorifera http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/porifera/poriferalh.html Ramel. (2003, August 17). The Phylum porifera. Retrieved from http://www.earthlife.net/inverts/porifera.html