Porifera
Porifera?
Porifera is a phylum under the kingdom of Animalia. Porifera is the oldest phylum in this kingdom and has been around for the last 600 million years. The most common organism in this phylum is sponges.
Porifera comes from the Latin words porus (pore) and ferre (bear), meaning "pore-bearer". This is a reference to the numerous holes (pores) on the sponge 's surface.
Characteristics of Porifera
All organisms belonging to the phylum Porifera;
Have no definite symmetry
Have no organs
Have no nervous system
Are filter feeders
Are multicellular
Live in aquatic environments
What are sponges?
Sponges are a group of aquatic invertebrates (animal without a backbone). There are five thousand to ten thousand known species.
Sponges are multicellular organisms which have bodies full of pores and channels, allowing water to circulate through them. Sponges do not have nervous, digestive or circulatory systems. Instead most rely on a constant water flow through their bodies to obtain food, oxygen and to remove wastes.
Where can I find a Poriferan or Sponge?
Sponges live in many marine and fresh water environments. They can be found in rivers to oceans, from rock pools to great ocean depths, from icy arctic seas to tropical streams. You can find them in almost any aquatic area!
Bibliography
Wikipedia. 2013. Sponges. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge (accessed 26 March 2013)
About.com. Sponges. http://marinelife.about.com/od/invertebrates/p/Sponges.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013)
About.com. Sponges-Porifera. http://animals.about.com/od/sponge1/p/porifera.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013)
Marine Education Society of Australasia. Porifera(sponges). http://www.mesa.edu.au/porifera/ (Accessed 26 March 2013)
Animal Diversity Web. 2001. Porifera sponges.
Porifera is a phylum under the kingdom of Animalia. Porifera is the oldest phylum in this kingdom and has been around for the last 600 million years. The most common organism in this phylum is sponges.
Porifera comes from the Latin words porus (pore) and ferre (bear), meaning "pore-bearer". This is a reference to the numerous holes (pores) on the sponge 's surface.
Characteristics of Porifera
All organisms belonging to the phylum Porifera;
Have no definite symmetry
Have no organs
Have no nervous system
Are filter feeders
Are multicellular
Live in aquatic environments
What are sponges?
Sponges are a group of aquatic invertebrates (animal without a backbone). There are five thousand to ten thousand known species.
Sponges are multicellular organisms which have bodies full of pores and channels, allowing water to circulate through them. Sponges do not have nervous, digestive or circulatory systems. Instead most rely on a constant water flow through their bodies to obtain food, oxygen and to remove wastes.
Where can I find a Poriferan or Sponge?
Sponges live in many marine and fresh water environments. They can be found in rivers to oceans, from rock pools to great ocean depths, from icy arctic seas to tropical streams. You can find them in almost any aquatic area!
Bibliography
Wikipedia. 2013. Sponges. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge (accessed 26 March 2013)
About.com. Sponges. http://marinelife.about.com/od/invertebrates/p/Sponges.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013)
About.com. Sponges-Porifera. http://animals.about.com/od/sponge1/p/porifera.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013)
Marine Education Society of Australasia. Porifera(sponges). http://www.mesa.edu.au/porifera/ (Accessed 26 March 2013)
Animal Diversity Web. 2001. Porifera sponges.
Bibliography: Wikipedia. 2013. Sponges. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sponge (accessed 26 March 2013) About.com. Sponges. http://marinelife.about.com/od/invertebrates/p/Sponges.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013) About.com. Sponges-Porifera. http://animals.about.com/od/sponge1/p/porifera.htm (Accessed 26 March 2013) Marine Education Society of Australasia. Porifera(sponges). http://www.mesa.edu.au/porifera/ (Accessed 26 March 2013) Animal Diversity Web. 2001. Porifera sponges. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/accounts/Porifera/ (Accessed 26 March 2013) Rader. Sponges. http://www.biology4kids.com/files/invert_sponges.html (Accessed 26 March 2013) Earth Life. The phylum Porifera. http://www.earthlife.net/inverts/porifera.html (Accessed 26 March 2013)