Welcome to the World of Porifera
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| Heterochone calyx |
Porifera, commonly known as sponges, are aquatic sessile
animals. Sessile means that they cannot move without interference of an
outside force. There are over 5,000 species
of sponges! They inhabit all five oceans
including Polar Regions. Porifera have a
broad range of sizes and shapes. However,
a sponge can usually be categorized in one of three main body types: asconoid, syconoid, and leuconoid:
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| Asconoid, Syconoid, and Leuconoid (left to right) |
Asconoid - Small and tube shaped with a single osculum (opening).
Syconoid - A larger version of Asconoid sponges--tubular shape with one osculum. They have thicker walls and are more complex.
Leuconoid - The largest and most complex of the body types. They are shaped irregularly and have a series of oscula.
Why are Sponges Interesting?
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| Aplysina fistularis |
Porifera are the simplest organisms in Kingdom Animalia. Because of this, many people overlook their importance. These animals play vital roles in the ecosystem. They act as filters that take bacteria and other particles out of the water. One study showed that sponges take in nitrogen and carbon through their oscula, and turn some of it into choanocytes, which is the inner lining of their body wall. Then, when choanocytes are shed through growth, it becomes nutrients for other creatures. Sponges are able to turn otherwise unusable material into food! This not only helps other organisms, but also helps with overall coral reef health and natural gas cycles.
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| Green Sponge - Asconoid |
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