PORIFERABy Emily Globe and Leigha MacPherson

WHAT ARE PORIFERA?

A Phylum under the Kingdom Animalia More commonly known as Sea Sponges First evolved over 500 million years ago Considered the most primitive animals

CHARACTERISTICS OF ANIMALIA

Multicellular Eukaryotic Heterotrophic Reproduce sexually and/or

asexually

CHARACTERISTICS OF PORIFERA

Multicellular Eukaryotic Heterotrophic Reproduce sexually and

asexually Feed through filtration Live in aquatic environments

(freshwater and saltwater) No exact symmetry Lack true tissues, organs, and

germ layers High cellular mobilty

KINGDOM: ANIMALIAPHYLUM: PORIFERACLASS: DEMOSPONGAIEORDER: AXENELLIDAFAMILY: AXENELLIDAEGENUS: PIPESTELASPECIES: Pipestela candelabra

CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOB MARLEY SPONGE

CLASSIFICATION OF THE STINKER SPONGE

KINGDOM: ANIMALIAPHYLUM: PORIFERACLASS: DEMOSPONGAIEORDER: KERATOSAFAMILY: SPONGIIDAEGENUS: IRCINIASPECIES: Ircinia felix

CLASSIFICATION OF THE BROWN TUBE SPONGE

KINGDOM: ANIMALIAPHYLUM: PORIFERACLASS: DEMOSPONGAIEORDER: AGELASIDAFAMILY: AGELASIDAEGENUS: AGELASSPECIES: Agelas conifera

LIFE CYCLE OF A SEA SPONGE

Porifera start as free swimming larvae

They anchor themselves on the ocean floor

During adulthood, sperm is released, which can enter a female sponge and fertilize eggs

The larvae are released and the cycle begins again

Sponges can also reproduce asexually by budding

MAINTAINING HOMEOSTASIS

All Porifera are sessile Tiny flagella circulate a current of

water through pores in the sponge This water contains tiny pieces of

food, as well as oxygen Collar cells and amoebocytes

digest food Waste and carbon dioxide is

excreted through the osculum (open end of the sponge)

INTERESTING FACTS Considered to be the very first living animals Porifera are hermaphrodites: they can be both male and

female Act as a home for smaller organisms Inspired the main character of the popular children’s cartoon

SpongeBob SquarePants Porifera skeletons have been used by humans for cleaning

and bathing since the time of the Ancient Greeks

The name Porifera means “bearing pores” in Latin

Aristotle considered sea sponges to be plants The presence of spicules used to be part of the criteria for

classifying organisms as Porifera We now have three classes under the Phylum Porifera:

Hexactinellida, Calcerea, and Demospongaie The class Sclerospongaie was previously used, but is no

longer considered valid

CHANGES IN CLASSIFICATION OF PORIFERA

"Animal Diversity Web." ADW: Agelas Conifera: CLASSIFICATION. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Investigation." About Sponges. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Online Etymology Dictionary." Online Etymology Dictionary. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "Porifera: Life History and Ecology." Life History and Ecology of Porifera. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. Ritter, Bob, Christine Adam-Carr, and Doug Fraser. Biology 11. 1st ed. N.p.: Nelson Education, 2002.

Print. "Sea Sponges Through History." The Sea Sponge Company⢠Inc. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015. "This Site Offers Information on Thousands of Different Species in the World's Oceans and Seas. The

Aim and Contents of This Portal, as Well as the Lastest Updates, Are Treated in Detail under about This Site." Marine Species Identification Portal. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.

"World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870)." World Porifera Database - Species - Agelas Conifera (Schmidt, 1870). N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.

"World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae." World Porifera Database - Species - Sclerospongiae. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.

"WoRMS Photogallery." WoRMS. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.

WORKS CITED