1. Kingdom Animalia Animal features: 1. Multicellular 2. Heterotrophic 3. Lack cell walls 4. Motile (at least at some stage of life) 5. Typically can reproduce sexually (although there is a lot of variation) 6. Most can rapidly respond to external stimuli

2. Kingdom Animalia – Phylum Porifera Phylum Porifera – Sponges (9000-10,000 species) General features: Cellular level of organization with no tissues or organs Adults are typically asymmetrical Cells tend to be totipotent Adults are sessile suspension-feeders; larval stages are motile Skeletal elements, when present, composed of calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, and/or collagen fibers Sponges are essentially made up of a loose aggregate of cells… You could even pass a sponge through cheese cloth, and the individual cells would come back together to reform the animal. An ancient group, probably originated from flagellated protist ancestors

3. Kingdom Animalia – Poriferan Body Plan

5. Choanocytes (collar cells) produce water flow through the sponge body. Why is water flow such an important part of biology of sponges? Feeding Gas exchange Waste removal Reproduction

6. Kingdom Animalia – Poriferan Body Plan Sponges depend on the water flow for every aspect of their lives. The only way they can get larger is by creating complex series of water canals throughout the body. The different body forms are: A. asconid B. simple syconoid C. complex syconoid D. leuconoid

7. Kingdom Animalia – Poriferan Body Plan Sponges use spicules made up of silicon dioxide and calcium carbonate for both structural support as well as for defense against potential predators. Cells called sclerocytes are responsible For producing the spicules. The spicules can have many forms. They vary from one species to the Next, and have different shapes, sizes, forms, and make-ups. In addition to the spicules, sponges Use layers of the protein collagen For additional structural support. This intercellular matrix is referred To as the spongin.

8. Kingdom Animalia – Porifera Sponges are often very colorful. Why do you think this may be the case?

9. Kingdom Animalia – Cnidaria Phylum Cnidaria: sea anemones, corals, jelly fish, box jellies, hydra