Animals Unit Phylum Porifera Notes Name: Basics Porifera means pore-bearing.

g. Sponges evolved about 500 million years ago. Transition from unicellularity to simple multicellular animals. Sea sponges have specialized cells, but no true tissues. Asymmetrical. 5,000 to 10,000 species of sea sponges. They live in a variety of habitats, from the ocean floor to tropical reefs. Most are marine, but there are some freshwater species. Adults are sessile. Larvae can swim. Structure Spongocoel interior chamber Ostia (singular: ostium) pores Epidermis outer layer of cells Osculum main opening at top of sponge Collar cells (also called choanocytes) specialized cell with collar surrounding flagellum. Beating of flagella keeps water moving through sponge. Collar cells filter water, capturing food particles and sperm for sexual reproduction. Mesohyl jelly-like layer between collar cells and epidermis. Amoebocytes (also called archeocytes) cells in mesohyl that can differentiate into new specialized cells. They also collect undigested food or sperm from collar cells and carry them to other cells. Spicules small, spiny particles in the mesohyl that help the sponge keep its structure. Composed of silica or calcium carbonate. Spongin protein fibres in the mesohyl that help the sponge keep its form (soft sponges are supported with spongin). Functions Feeding, respiration, transport and excretion are accomplished using the water current through the sponges body. Sponges reproduce asexually and sexually. o Asexual budding or fragmentation: a piece of sponge is broken off and forms a new sponge. Formation of gemmules: collections of amoebocytes surrounded by spicules are released these can survive harsh winter conditions. o Sexual Most sponges are hermaphroditic able to produce both eggs and sperm. Sperm is released into the water, where it is eventually picked up by other sponges collar cells. It is moved by archeocytes to fertilize the egg, in the mesohyl. The larvae that form are flagellated or ciliated and are released to the water where they swim to a new location where they settle and grow into adult sponges.

Animals Unit Phylum Porifera Notes Station 1 discussion questions: What benefits do sponges provide within a coral reef ecosystem?

Name:

How can sponges threaten coral reef ecosystems?

Why do you think sponges might have an advantage when there are constantly high levels of nutrients available in the water? (Make a hypothesis!)

Station 2 discussion questions: How can studying sponge toxins help scientists in the field of human health?

What evolutionary advantages do toxins give to sponges?

Would you classify sponges as living fossils? Why or why not?

Station 3 activity: Sketch the sponge at this station label any parts that you can observe.

You may also take this time to discuss with classmates how sponges carry out life functions. (Hint: start filling in your animal phyla comparison chart!)