Poriferan Characteristics
- Multicellular, but lack true tissues
- Asymmetrical or radial symmetry
- Adults sessile suspension feeders
- Internal skeleton composed of spicules (calcium carbonate or silicon dioxide) or collagen fibers
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Sponge spicules (Scypha sp.)
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Sponge spicules (Spongilla sp.)
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Commercial sponge collagen fibers (Spongin)
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Class Desmospongia
Characteristics
- Includes majority of sponges
- Spicules composed of silicon dioxide or replaced by spongin (collagen network)
- Nearly all have leuconoid grade of construction
- Diverse marine and fresh water habitats
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Fire Sponge, Tedania ignis, Belize
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Red Encrusting Sponge, Antho sp.; Cabrillo N.M., CA
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Red Ball Sponge, Psuedaxinella lunaecharta
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Red Sponge, probably Clathria pennata, encrusting worm tubes; La Jolla, CA
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Red Volcano Sponge, Acarnus erithacus
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Orange Puffball Sponge, Tethya aurantia
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Ethereal Sponge, Dysidea etheria, collected from Florida
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Aggregated Nipple Sponge, Polymastia sp.
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Blue Sponge, Haliclona sp.?
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Slippery Sponge, Aplysilla sp.?, an encrusting intertidal sponge; La Jolla, CA
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White-tawny Fistula Sponge, Oceanapia isodictyiformis, collected from Florida
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Finger Sponge, dried specimen
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Elephant Ear Sponge, Ianthella sp., dried specimen
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Sponge, possibly Gelliodes or Callyspongia sp.?, dried specimen
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Tube Sponge, Theonella sp., dried specimen
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Class Calcarea
Characteristics
- Spicules composed of calcium carbonate
- Spicules not usually differentiated into mega- vs microscleres
- Includes species with Asconoid, Synconoid, and Leuconoid body forms
- Marine
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Scypha sp., a synconoid-type sponge; preserved specimen.
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Leucosolenia sp., an ascanoid-type sponge; stained whole mount.
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Leucosolenia sp., an ascanoid-type sponge; stained whole mount (higher magnification stacked image).
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Pineapple Sponge, probably Sycon sp.
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Ball Sponges, Leucandra sp.?
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Scypha sp.; stained longitutinal section, 100x.
See also labeled photo.
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Grantia sp.; stained cross section (related to Scypha), 100x.
See also labeled photo.
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Grantia sp.; cross section showing canals and embryos, 400x.
See also labeled photo.
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Grantia sp.; cross section showing spicules, 400x.
See also labeled photo.
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Class Hexactinellida
Characteristics
- Glass Sponges
- Spicules composed of silicon dioxide, 6-rayed; complex skeletons
- Radially symmetric
- Syconoid and leuconoid body forms
- Lacks outer pinacoderm layer
- Deep water marine
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Venus' Flower Basket, Euplectella sp., skeleton.
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Skeleton of White Ruffle Sponge, Farrea occa?
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Interconnected spicules forming a skeleton (Farrea sp.)
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Fossil Sponges (Extinct Groups)
Characteristics
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Archaeocyathid sponge fossil (cross sections); Early Cambrian Period, 516 Ma; Australia.
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Model of Metaldetes, an Archaeocyathid sponge from the Cambrian Period
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Model of Vauxia sp., a Cambrian sponge
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