Lecture 3

Phylum- Porifera (sponges)

 Kingdom Animalia

 Sub-Kingdom- Parazoa
(beside animals)
 Phylum Porifera (Sponges)

 Sub-Kingdom- Metazoa
(within animals).
 All other animal phyla (33) are
metazoans
 IS A SPONGE AN ANIMAL?
OR A COLONY OF PROTISTS?

Aristotle described sponges as plants

 Phylogenetic tree

Complete gut

Sac-like gut

No real gut

4
Recap- Characteristics of animals
1. Multicellular
2. Heterotrophic
3. Embryonic development (blastula)
4. No cell walls (possess skeletal structures)
5. Motile
6. Nervous and muscle tissue
7. Symmetrical
8. Body Cavity present
9. Possess a gut
10. Diploid
General Characteristics of the Phylum
(Systematic approach)

 1. External features/ appearance

 2. Body layers, cell types, skeleton
 3. Feeding & digestive system
 4. Circulatory/respiratory system
 5. Excretory system: Removal of nitrogenous
waste
 6. Nervous system
 7. Reproduction
 Phylum Porifera
(pore bearer)
 Mostly marine and
sessile (from intertidal
to the deep-sea)- 5,000
spp.
 Bright colours
 Environmental
conditions can influence
morphology: tubular,
encrusting, fingerlike
Porifera- 1. External features
 Brightly coloured (live sponges in aquarium)
 Body covered in pores- Porifera= pore bearer

 Can be tubular/flat/finger-like
 Sponges exhibit a variety of growth forms

 Three body types:

 Asconoid
 Syconoid
 Leuconoid
 - Asconoid sponge- simpliest

 Large reservoir of
Spongocoel water
or Atrium
 Small SA:V ratio
 Inefficient use of
water
 Restricted to
smaller size
classes
Phylum porifera
- Syconoid sponge

 Larger SA:V ratio

 More efficient use
of water
 Still relatively
small size classes
Phylum Porifera  Large SA:V ratio
Most efficient use
- Leuconoid sponge

of water
 Most sponges are
of this type
 Encrusting to
large, goblet
varieties
Skeletal structure:
-Body supported by a skeleton composed of
spicules (hard mineralised) and collagen/protein
fibres (spongin).

- Secreted by special cells- archaeocytes

Sponge skeletal
structures-
Give support to the
body preventing
collapse.
Phylum Porifera- 2. Body tissue layers
 Poriferans –”diploblastic”

 Along with Cnidarians (hydroids, jelly

fishes and sea anemones)

 Two layers of tissue- with cells in

between that are loosely organized

 Mesohyl with archeaocytes

(wandering cells)
Phylum Porifera- groups and
layers of cells- diff. functions

pinacocyte

archaeocyte
mesohyl

1. Totipotent
2. Phagocytic
3. Secretory
(Gastro-vascular
(Atrium) (spicules and
cavity) spongin
 Cell types found in sponges:
 Sponge body made up of cells- not tissues (no
basal lamina).

 Pinacocytes- flattened cells that form the dermal

layer – Pinacoderm (line the outer layer of the
body)

 Porocytes- tubular cells forming the intake pores

 Choanocytes- Collar cells lining the inner walls of

the body- responsible for pulling water into the
sponge.

 Archaeocytes- Amoeboid cells that moove about

the mesohyl (area between the pinacocyte and
choanocyte). Totipotent- can become any of the
other cells, secrete skeletal structures and are
phagocytes.
Chaonocytes: water flow
• Collar cells:
beating of flagellum pulls
water through the collar
and away from the cell
body.
 Water flow: 3. Filter feeding
 Water sucked through pores via ostium and leaves
via osculum
Feeding: Heterotrophs
 Bacteria and other very small particles trapped on
the collar of the choanocyte.
 Filter – collar microvilli (0.1 um apart).

 Cells engulf particles + other cells along the

channels (amoebocyets)- intracellular digestion
 One small group of sponges considered carnivorous-
animals pulled in via water current.
Water flow- 4. Circulation & respiration
5. Excretion

 Water flow brings O2 and removes C02 .

 No other specialised respiratory structures.

 Water flow also removes waste.

 No other excretory structures

Efficient- Numerous channels
throughout the body
6. Nervous system
 Sponges have no nervous system
 Local reactions
 Coordination by transmission of messenger
substances (chemicals like hormones)
 Wandering ameboid cells
 Fixed cells in contact with each other- no junctions

 Defense: sponges produce biochemicals (toxic to fish,

kill competitors, rash in humans- Red Caribbean fire
sponge Tedania sp.)
 7. Reproduction: Asexual
 Budding or, more
Micropyle
often, sponge
disintegrates into
gemmules Spicules

 Gemmules survive
winter; interior cells
released in spring

 Cells aggregate to
form adult sponge
Archeocytes
 Reproduction: Sexual
Blastula
 Most are hermaphroditic Morula
 Sperm may be
"broadcast“
 Development usually
internal
 Embryogenesis is rare.
 Larvae free-swimming,
and come in two forms

 Metamorphose when
attaching to a substrate
(external flagellated cells
migrate inward to
become choanocytes).
Embryonic Development
 Fertilized animal egg divides to produce a solid ball
of cells (morula)

 Cell migration results in a hollow ball- BLASTULA.

Morula

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Is a sponge an animal?
1. Multicellular √
2. No cell walls (possess skeletons) √
3. Period of embryonic development √ (to
blastula stage)
4. Heterotrophic √
5. Motile √ (larval stage)
6. Nervous and muscle tissue ? (contractile
elements present)
7. Symmetrical (simple sponge- radial)
8. Body Cavity present √
9. Diploid √
10. Possess a gut
 Value

 Sponges and other sessile marine invertebrates-

increased interest for their potential genetic and
chemical resources- Bioactive chemicals.
 Sessile marine invertebrates have “the most active
biochemicals potentially useful for mankind in the
pharmaceutical industry” .
 Seeking out new species - new types of chemicals which
may be useful against human pathogens and ailments.
 The most celebrated example- Mediterranean sponge
Dysidea avara - anti-AIDS molecules.
 Immune system research- homogenised sponges -
regroup. Strong “sense of self”.
Phylum Porifera
“So don’t take
sponges for
granted!”
 Related essay topics:(~Q# 4)
 List the characteristics of animals (5 marks).
Describe the features of sponges and
conclude whether you believe a sponge
should be classified as an animal. (20 marks)

 Describe the general features of organisms

belonging to the phylum Porifera.
Lecture 3b

Phylum Cnidaria
 Sub Kingdom -Metazoa
 1.Tissues - basal lamina
 2. Grouped to form organs
 3. Definite mouth and gut (digestive system).
 4. Definite symmetry
 5. Layers and structures of the body derived from
germ layers (endoderm, mesoderm, ectoderm).
 6. Embryonic development progresses beyond
morula & blastula. Gastrula- germ layers.
Embryonic development – Germ Layers
 Cells near one end of the blastula migrate
inward - gastrula. Opening is the blastopore.

 Tube produced by this process will become

the gut.
 Ectoderm
 Endoderm
 Mesoderm Germ layers formed

31
 Phylum Cnidaria- 10,000 spp.

 Cnid = “nettle” (nettles sting!) - possession of cnidocytes

- stinging cells

 Multicellular, Radially symmetrical with tissues and

organs and possessing a “gastro/vascular” cavity or gut

 No other body cavity.

 Most Cnidaria live in shallow water and most are marine

 Includes hydras, jellyfish, sea anemones and corals

General Characteristics
List of general features in Demo.

 1. External features/ appearance

 2. Body layers, muscles, skeleton
 3. Feeding & digestive system
 4. Circulatory/respiratory system
 5. Excretory system- Removal of nitrogenous
waste
 6. Nervous system & sense organs
 7. Reproduction
External features/body forms:
Two basic body forms

Manubrium

from Barnes - Invertebrate Zoology - 5th Ed.

 Alternation of generation
Polyp
Planula
Asexual

Egg Medusa
Sexual
Some have only polyp form; some only the medusa;
some have both- Alternation of generation.
 Life cycle  Polyp
 Sessile
Rapid reproduction
 Solitary or colonial
 Tubular
 Asexual reproduction

 Medusa
 Motile/pelagic
Genetic diversity- vigour
 Solitary
 Resembles a bell/bag
 Sexual reproduction
 Cnidaria general
features

 Body wall (epidermis).

 Epithelio-muscular cells, Cnidocytes and

Sensory cells.

 Mesoglea (mesoderm)
 Ranges from thin, non-cellular layer to
 thick, jelly-like material with or without

wandering amoebocytes
Cnidarian body form
 Cnidocytes / Nematocysts located
throughout the epidermis

 Used in defense and

prey capture

 Nematocysts
(threads) may be
toxic or non-toxic

 Range of types.
 Support and Locomotion
 Soft bodied – mesoglea.
 Some – secrete skeletal material
 Hydrozoans often have a periderm (=perisarc) of
chitin over the epidermis
supports the softer tissue beneath.
 Corals secrete calcareous material.

 Locomotion.
 Hydra sessile- can somersault or show inch-
worm-like movement.
 Jellyfish swim- contracting muscles of the
umbrella margin and general surface.
 3. Feeding & Gut

 Generalised feeding style- Carnivory

 Tentacles capture food using nematocysts
 Food brought to mouth or mouth set on a moveable
extension – manubrium.
 Gastrovascular cavity- enzymes reduce food to a
broth- mixed by beating of flagella in cavity

 Exceptions to the general carnivorous mode of

feeding –
 Aurelia (particulate feeder)

 Cassiopeia (upside-down jellyfish)- symbionts

 Corals – symbionts.- Algae in both cases.

4. Circulatory system, respiratory
system, 5. Excretory system?
 Exchange across the general body
surface

 Gastrovascular cavity – takes in

water and expels water acts like a giant
contractile vacuole

 Equivalent to the Atrium in sponges.

6. Nervous system
 Nerve net (plexus)
 Diffuse nervous system
 2 nets – in gastrodermis & epidermis.
 No suggestion of a central nervous system
 No brain or nerve cord
 Sensory cells in epidermis esp. near mouth
and tentacles
 Multipolar nerve cells (bipolar in in some)
7. Reproduction
 Dioecious (opposite of hermaphrodites)
 Gonads may be epidermal or
gastrodermal.
 Free swimming PLANULA larva is the
characteristic first larval stage.
 Asexual reproduction by budding,
fission, pedal lacerations.
Reproduction – E.g. Life cycle
of Obelia
Obelia hydroid
 Life cycle of Aurelia
 Spermatozoa released via
GVC from gonad
Sperm
and ova

 Pass out through mouth

 Fertilized –planula larva

Planula
 Planula settles – Scyphistoma

 Asexual reproduction by
budding
Scyphistoma
 Example of alternation of Ephyra
[asexual and sexual]
generations Strobilla