Phylum Porifera
“Sponges”
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Porifera
Classes: Hexactinellida
Demospongia
Calcarea
By
Dr. PritiD.Diwan
Assistant Professor
Department of Zoology
J.D.PatilSangludkarMahavidyalayDaryapur.
Phylum Porifera
Pronounced (po-rif'-er-a)
The name means
“bearing pores”
•5,000 living species
•Most primitive of all
animals
Phylum Porifera
Sponges are sessile, meaning they have a
stationary, inactive lifestylecan move up
to 4 mm per day
Because they are sessile, they are highly
dependent on ocean currentsto bring
foodto them and eliminate waste
products.
Embryosare free-swimming.
Major Characteristics:
They have no organs or true tissues.
Digestion, respiration,and excretionall
occur by simple diffusiondirectly into and
out of the cells.
No nervous system.
Mostsponges are asymmetrical.
Occasionally radial
Major Characteristics:
Their bodies are made up of thousands of
cells mixed together in a gel-like mixture,
supported by small skeletal structures
called spicules.
Major Characteristics:
•Feed by filtering water through their outer
walls and pumping it out of body
•Flow of water is uni-directional
Sponges are made up of a systemof tiny
pores and canalsthat make up a intricate
filter feeding system.
Structure/General Anatomy:
•Opening at top called
the osculum
•Gelatinous interior
called the mesohyl
•The interior cavity
called the
spongocoel
OSCULUM -opening
MESOHYL
SPONGOCOEL
Sponge Skeletons
Thin strands of collagenare found
throughout the bodies of sponges.
The classof Demospongiaeproduces a
form of collagenknown as spongin.
Sponge Skeleton
Spicules on the left
Sponginon the right
Spicules:
Structure / Anatomy:
Structure / Anatomy:
•No tissues or organs
•Each type of sponge
cell is responsible for
a specific function
•The outer surface is
covered by tiny
openings called ostia
Cellular Structure of Sponges
The inner material that makes up the main body (a
type of connective tissue) of a sponge consists of a
loose gel-like mixture called Mesohyl.
Porocytesmake up the ostiathat allow the
passage of water into the sponge.
The epithelial cellsof sponges are called
Pinacocytes.These cells play a role in trapping
food particles.
Amoebocytesare cells in the mesohylthat perform
a variety of functions. The primary functions are
digestion (archaeocytes)and production of spicules
and collagen.
•The spongocoel is lined with flagellated
cells called choanocytesor collar cells.
•The flagella beat to cause a current –
drawing water in through the ostia
•The collar traps food particles
Cellular Structure of a Sponge
Structure / Anatomy:
Feeding:
•Flow of water through the
sponge allows for
feeding, waste removal,
and the intake of oxygen
•Sponges filter bacteria as
a food source
Some sponges filter as
much as 1500 liters/day
(that is equivalent to
about 400 gallons/day).
Moving Water/Current = Low
Pressure
Water pumped in through the walls
Sponge Digestion
Digestive:
•Filter feeders
•NO GVC –food
is digested
intracellularly
•Collar cells engulf
and digest food
vacuoles
•Use amoeboid
cells to distribute
nutrients
Circulatory:
•Amoeboid Cells in
the wall transport
food and
nutrients
Excretory:
•All wastes are
purged through
the main pore
called the
osculum
Respiratory
•Various cells take in oxygen through
diffusion
Sponge Sexual Reproduction
Mostsponges are monoecious. Meaning a
single spongecan have both male and female sex
cells.
Sperm cells develop from choanocytes. Egg cells
can develop from choanocytes in some species
and from archaeocytesin others.
After fertilization, the a free-swimming flagellated
larva called a parenchymulabreaks off from the
adult sponge and are carried away by ocean
currents.
Sponge Asexual Reproduction
fragmentationand by external budding.
Fragmentation occurs when a fragment is broken off
from the main body of the sponge.
Budding occurs when a small sponge grows off of the
adult sponge. Eventually these can break off and
regenerate.
Sponge Asexual Reproduction
Gemmulesare internal budsthat usually remain
dormant and contain archaeocytes.
Gemmules are usually formed during unfavorable
conditions
After the unfavorable conditions pass, the
archaeocytescan then be released -regenerate into
a new adult sponge.
Parenchymulaand Gemmules
Gemmuleson
the left
Parenchymula
on the right.
Sponge Ecology
Adults are always attached to other
objects. (rocks, corals, submerged objects
etc.)
Many other organisms such as crab and
fish live symbiotically in or on sponges.
Some sponges live on other organisms
like mollusk shells and corals.
Class Calcarea
Spicules made of
calcium carbonate
(calcite and
limestone)
All three types of
canals represented
(asconoid, syconoid,
and leuconoid).
All marine
Example (Clathrina)
Class Hexactinellida
Six-rayed spicules
made of silica
(same substance
as glass)
Body often
cylindrical and
funnel shaped
Syconoidor
leuconoid
All Marine
Example, Venus Flower
Basket (Euplectella)
Class Demospongiae
Skeleton made of
silica spicules that
are not six-rayed, or
a skeleton made of
spongin, or both.
Leuconoidtype canal
systems only.
One family
freshwater, all others
are marine.
Very diverse group of
sponges