1. Having many pores Simple Animal
Phylum Porifera
Having many pores
Simple Animal

2. Kingdom Animalia Taxonomy Phylum Porifera Class Hexactinellida
Class Calcarea Class Demospongiae
Class Hexactinellida

3. General Characteristics
Simplest multi-cellular animals
Most are asymmetrical
Sessile animals: attached to something most of their lives
Filter-feeders: strain the water for nourishment
Body openings: Many tiny incurrent pores and one large out current pore
Brightly colored to blend into the coral reef

4. Body Plan No true organs or tissues
Made up of many different specialized cells working together in a jelly-like substance
Spicules: provide structural support like a skeleton
Stolon: the base of the sponge that attaches to rock or coral

5. Body Form and Function
Ostia: tiny pores for incoming water (incurrent pores)
Osculum: one or 2 large openings for outgoing water
Spongocoel: The large cavity that water circulates through

6. Body Form and Function
Feeding: Filter feed on particles or organisms suspended in water
Collar Cells: Flagellated cells that circulate water and trap food particles
Amoebocytes: cells that travel around and distribute food to other cells
Sponge filtering water

7. Reproduction and Development
Types of reproduction: Both sexual and asexual reproduction
Sperm transform from collar cells during the spawning season
Sexual Reproduction: Sperm is released into the water by one sponge and taken into the spongocoel of another sponge
Sponge spawning

8. Reproduction and Development
Asexual Reproduction: fission or budding

9. Ecological Relationships
Provide food for many other animals
Provide shelter for many other animals
Have mutualistic relationships with photo synthesizers to provide more oxygen in the oceans

10. Class Calcarea Balloon sponges
Have star-shaped spicules made of calcium carbonate
Mesh-like structure
All live in saltwater
Calcium carbonate: a carbon/calcium substance found in animal skeletons

11. Class Calcarea

12. Class Calcarea

13. Class Hexactinellida Glass sponges All live in salt water
Have six-sided spicules made of silicon

14. Class Hexactinellida

15. Class Hexactinellida

16. Class Demospongiae Common sponges Includes 80% of all Porifera species
Have spicules made of silicon and spongin
Live in fresh or saltwater

17. Class Demospongiae

18. Class Demospongiae