n Umeda Introduction to Porifera • Porifera, commonly known as sponges, are a phylum of multicellular organisms that constitute a basal animal clade. They are among the simplest multicellular animals, with a porous body structure and a unique feeding system. • Sponges are sessile filter feeders, meaning they live attached to a substrate and obtain food by filtering particles from the water. These creatures are remarkable for their structural diversity, including a wide range of colours and shapes. • Their evolutionary history dates back to the Precambrian era, making them one of the earliest known animal groups Main characteristics of Phylum Porifera
Body structure • Body shape is vase or cylinder-like asymmetrical or radially symmetrical. • The body surface is perforated by numerous pores, the ostia through which the water enters the body and one or more large openings, the oscula by which the water passes out. • Multicellular body consisting of outer ectoderm and inner endoderm with an intermediate layer of mesenchyme, therefore diploblastic animal. • The interior space of the body is either hollow or permeated by numerous canals lined with choanocytes. The interior space of sponge body is called spongocoel. • Characteristic skeleton consisting of either fine flexible spongin fibres, siliceous spicules or calcareous spicules. • Mouth absent, digestion intracellular. • Excretory and respiratory organs absent. • The nervous and sensory cells are probably not differentiated Habitats • Porifera are all aquatic, mostly marine except one family spongillidae which lives in freshwater. • They are sessile and sedentary and grow like plants. They are found attached to rocks, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and even the undersides of docks and boats. Feeding and Nutrition of Phylum porifera • Filter Feeders – Most of them are essential filter feeders, meaning they obtain their food by filtering organic matter from the water that flows through their bodies. They have a unique system of canals and chambers that enable them to efficiently capture food particles, such as bacteria, algae, and small plankton. • Symbiotic Relationships - Some sponges have symbiotic relationships with other organisms, such as algae and bacteria. These symbiotic partners can provide the sponge with nutrients, while the sponge provides a protected habitat for them. Reproduction They reproduce by both asexual and sexual reproduction. Asexual reproduction • Through budding, fragmentation, and gemmule formation. • Budding involves the formation of small outgrowths from the parent sponge that eventually detach and become independent individuals.
Sexual reproduction • Most sponges are hermaphrodites, meaning they possess both male and female reproductive organs. • They release sperm and eggs into the water, where fertilization occurs. • The fertilized egg develops into a larva that eventually settles and develops into a new sponge. Classification of Phylum Porifera The classification of Porifera is based chiefly on types of skeleton found in them. There are main three classes in Phylum Porifera.
• Class Calcaria • Class Hexactinellida • Class Demospongiae CLASS CALCARIA • They are commonly called calcareous sponges. • A Skeleton consist of seperate one or three or four rayd calcareous spicules. • They are dull coloured sponges less than 15 cm in size. • They are solitary or colonial; body shape vase-like or cylindrical. • They may show asconoid, syconoid or leuconoid structure. • They occur in shallow waters in all oceans. • Asconoid sponges with radially symmetrical, cylindrical body. • Spongocoel is lined by choanocytes. • Syconoid or leuconoid sponges having vase-shaped body. • The body wall is thick and folded, choanocytes line only radial canals. • Asexual reproduction by budding. The free swimming larva is called amphiblastula. Example: Leucosolenia, Clathrina,Grantia There are two orders in the Class Calcaria
Order Homocoela Order
Heterocoela CLASS HEXACTINELLIDA • They are called glass sponges. • Skeleton is of siliceous spicules which are triaxon with 6 rays. In some the spicules are fused to form a lattice-like skeleton. • There is no epidermal epithelium. • Choanocytes line finger-shaped chambers. • They are cylindrical or funnel shaped and are found in deep tropical seas, they grow up to one meter. • Spicules are hexasters, i.e. star-like in shape. • Radial canals or flagellated chambers are simple. • They are not attached by root tufts but commonly attaches to a hard surface. • Spicules are amphidiscs. No hexasters. • They are attached to the substratum by root tufts. Example: Euplectella ,Hyalonema Hespectulla There are two orders in Class Hexactinellida
Order Hexasterphora Order
Amphidiscophora CLASS DEMOSPONGIAE • Contains the largest number of sponge species. Large-sized, solitary or colonial. • The skeleton is made out of siliceous spicules or sponging fibers or both. • Spicules are never six-rayed, they are monaxon or tetraxon are differentiated into large megascaleres and small microscleres. • Body shape is irregular and the canal system is of leucon type. • Generally marine, few freshwater forms. • Sponges are mostly solid and simple rounded cushion like flattened in shape usually without branches. • Skeleton comprised mainly of tetraxon siliceous spicules but absent in order myxospongida. Canal system is leuconoid type. Shallow water form. • Simple structure. • Skeleton absent. • Spicules are not differentiated into megascleres and microscleres. • Asters may be present. • Spicules are differentiated into megascleres and microscleres. Example: Spongilla, Chalina, Spongia Spongilla Chalina There are three sub-classes in Class Desmospongiae
Tetractinellida Monaxonida Ke rasota References Q&A THANK YOU
