PORIFERA

• Porifera are the Simplest most ancient animals.
• Porifera means, “pore bearers”.
• Porifera are Multicellular organisms
• Porifera Contain pores (holes) to get food.
• Porifera Sessile organisms (don’t move).
• Porifera Lack true tissues and organs.
• Porifera are filter-feeders.
• Porifera's Body is asymmetrical & sac-like.
• Porifera Exhibit morphological plasticity
• Morphological plasticity means that the brain can change the way it processes information.
• exhibiting morphological plasticity means that the organism can change its morphology to suit its environment
• Porocytes

  ✓ Are specialized cells found in the sponge's outer layer.

  ✓ They form small openings called ostia, which allow water to enter the sponge's body.
• Choanocytes (collar cells)

  ✓ Are specialized cells that line the internal chambers of the sponge.

  ✓ They have flagella surrounded by a collar-like structure.

  ✓ Create water currents, drawing water into the sponge and trapping food particles for ingestion.
• Mesohyl

  ✓ A gelatinous matrix that fills the space between the outer and inner layers of the sponge.

  ✓ It contains various types of cells, including amoeboid cells (amoebocytes), which perform several functions such as digestion, nutrient distribution, and reproduction.
• Spicules

  ✓ Are small, needle-like structures made of calcium carbonate, silica, or spongin (a protein).

  ✓ They provide structural support and protection to the sponge's body, helping maintain its shape and integrity.
• Spongocoel

  ✓ The central cavity within the sponge's body.

  ✓ It acts as a reservoir for water that enters through the ostia, allowing for efficient water circulation and filtration.
• Osculum

  ✓ A large opening at the top of the sponge through which water exits after filtration.

  ✓ It helps expel waste products and excess water, maintaining the internal environment of the sponge.
• Pinacocytes

  ✓ Are flat cells that form the outermost layer (pinacoderm) of the sponge's body.

  ✓ They provide protection and regulate water flow by contracting and relaxing, controlling the size of the ostia.
• Amoebocytes

  ✓ Found within the gel-like matrix (mesohyl) of sponges.

  ✓ Perform various functions such as digestion, distribution of nutrients, production of skeletal elements, and participation in reproduction.
• Gemmules

  ✓ Are typically small, rounded structures composed of a cluster of archaeocytes (undifferentiated cells) surrounded by a tough, protective layer called a scleroprotein membrane.

  ✓ Formed during periods of environmental stress, such as drought or temperature fluctuations.
• Pores and Canals

  ✓ Facilitate water circulation throughout the sponge's body

  ✓ They allow for the intake of oxygen and nutrients, as well as the removal of waste products, contributing to the sponge's metabolic processes and overall health.
• 1/3 TYPES OF CANAL SYSTEM

  Asconoid

  ✓ Simplest type.

  ✓ Water enters through numerous tiny pores called ostia into a central cavity called the spongocoel.

  ✓ Water flows out through a single large opening called the osculum.

  ✓ Found in small and tubeshaped sponges.
• 2/3 TYPES OF CANAL SYSTEM

  Syconoid

  ✓ Intermediate complexity.

  ✓ Water enters through ostia into small chambers called radial canals.

  ✓ From radial canals, water flows into the central spongocoel through small openings called prosopyle.

  ✓ Water flows out through osculum.

  ✓ Found in sponges with a more complex body structure than asconoid sponges.
• 3/3 TYPES OF CANAL SYSTEM

  Leuconoid

  ✓ Most complex type.

  ✓ Water enters through ostia into numerous small chambers called flagellated chambers or choanocyte chambers.

  ✓ Choanocytes (collar cells) within these chambers create water currents and filter out food particles.

  ✓ Water flows out through larger openings called excurrent canals.

  ✓ Found in larger and more advanced sponges, including many demosponges
• Sexual Reproduction of Porifera (External Fertilization)
• 1/2 Asexual Reproduction of Porifera (Budding)
• 2/2 Asexual Reproduction of Porifera (Fragmentation/Fission)
• Home for Marine Life: Sponges provide homes for many sea creatures, offering them shelter and protection from predators.
• Boost Biodiversity: They help create diverse communities of tiny organisms, making marine life more varied and resilient.
• Clean Water: Sponges act like natural filters, cleaning up the water by consuming tiny particles like bacteria and algae.
• Recycle Nutrients: They eat up organic matter and release nutrients back into the water, helping marine ecosystems stay healthy.
• Medicine Potential: Sponges produce chemicals that scientists can use to make medicines, like antibiotics or treatments for diseases.
• Support Coral Reefs: They play a part in balancing coral reef ecosystems, helping to keep them thriving and healthy.