1st August (Porifera)

BIOLOGY-MDCAT-2023 (MCQs OUTLINE)
DIVERSITY AMONG ANIMALS-THE KINGDOM ANIMALIA
PHYLUM PORIFERA
Sycon • It is a typical marine sponge.
Leucosolenia • A sponge that consists of group of erect tubes.
Euplectella • It is beautiful and delicate sponge made up of glassy framework.

• It is commonly called Venus lower basket.
Spongilla • It is freshwater sponge.
Scolymastra joubini • A barrel like glass sponge of Antarctica is more than a meter tall
Page 1 of 7
By: Faisal Zada Khan (Lecturer-PGC, Lahore)
General Characters:
• The name porifera is derived from Latin porus = pore, ferra = to bear
• They are commonly called the sponges.
• Porifera are the most primitive animals
• The porifera are pore-bearing animals
• All are aquatic.
• Out of total 5000 species 150 species live in fresh water while all others are marine
• These animals are composed of many cells however there is no tissue organization and have no organs (parazoan).
• Sponges lack symmetry (asymmetry).
• In most sponges the body wall is formed of
o An outer layer, pinacoderm, made up of cells called pinacocytes
o An inner layer choanoderm made of flagellated collar cells called choanocytes.
• Between these two layers is present gelatinous mesenchyme which may contain amoeboid cells and spicules or
sponging fibres.
• The poriferans range in size from few millimeters wide to more than one metre tall.
• They are macroscopic i.e., can be seen with naked eye.
• There is a single cavity inside the body, the spongocoel.
• In most sponges the spongocoel may be divided into flagellated chambers or canals, lined by flagellated
choanocytes.
• Numerous pores are present in the body wall.
• The pores through which water enters the body are called ostia, and pore by which the water leaves the body is
known as osculum (main opening).
• There are no respiratory or circulatory organs.
• Since the sponges are sessile, therefore these depend upon the food coming to them along with water currents
brought about by movement of flagella of choanocytes.
• They feed on,
o 20 % of their food from (zooplankton) and plants, (phytoplankton)
o 80% of their food consists of detrital organic particles.
• The food enters the spongocoel cavity through Ostia.
• The food is ingested by the flagellated cells, the choanocytes.
• The waste products either diffuse out of the sponge directly through the body wall or flow out through osculum.
• The adult sponges are stationary, spending their lives attached to the rocks at the bottom or other solid objects.
• Their larvae are able to move (swim).
• There is no definite nervous system, however neurosensory and neuron cells are probably present which seem to
coordinate the flow of water.
Page 2 of 7
• The skeleton (calcareous or siliceous) is in the form of variously shaped needle-like structures called spicules.
• The bath sponge has a skeleton of spongin fibres.
• The skeleton is present among pinacocytes and provides support.
• Spicules are also present around osculum and ostia
• Sponges reproduce both by asexual and sexual methods of reproduction.
• The asexual reproduction in sponges is by budding.
• The buds may be external or internal, the internal buds are called gemmules.
• Both types of buds develop into new sponges.
• Some sponge species reproduce sexually.
• These are mostly hermaphrodite, mostly protandrous, i.e., male sex cells develop first.
• In some sponges the sexes are separate.
• Sperms released in water are carried to the eggs by amoeboid cells.
• Fertilization occurs in mesenchyme and zygote is formed.
• The embryo development includes blastula and larval stages.
Importance:
• The skeleton of sponges has, long been used by man mostly for washing and bathing.
• Although many artificial sponges have been made from synthetic material, still the natural sponges are in demand
and is an important industry in many parts of the world.
• The best commercial sponges are found in the warm waters of Mediterranean Sea.
• Sponges have great capacity to absorb water.
• They are used in surgical operations for absorbing fluids and blood.
• They are also used for sound absorption in buildings.
Page 3 of 7
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (For Practice)
1. The only group of organisms included in parazoan: 9. The spicules of sponges are formed of:
a) Porifera a) Calcareous
b) Cnidaria b) Phosphorous
c) Flatworms c) Siliceous
d) Segmented worms d) Both a or c
2. The simplest of the animals belong to subkingdom: 10. The skeleton of sponges is formed of:
a) Eumetazoa a) Spongin fibres
b) Metazoa b) Keratin fibres
c) Parazoa c) Myosin fibres
d) All of them d) Actin fibres
3. Which of the following shows asymmetry? 11. In sponges, spicules are also present around:
a) Mollusca a) Osculum
b) Echinodermata b) Ostia
c) Porifera c) Body
d) Arthropoda d) All of them
4. The inner layer of sponges (choanoderm) is composed 12. The asexual reproduction in sponges is by:
of: a) Binary fission
a) Flagellated collar cells b) Budding
b) Choanocytes c) Parthenogenesis
c) Both a or b d) Apomixes
d) Ciliated cells 13. In sponges, gemmules are:
5. Between pinacoderm and choanoderm, there is a) Internal gamete formation
present gelatinous mesenchyme which may contain b) Internal gametes fertilization
a) Amoeboid cells c) Internal bud formation
b) Spicules d) Absent
c) Sponging fibres 14. The word protandrous means:
d) Any of them a) Male sex cells develop first
6. The pores through which water enters the body of b) Female sex cells develop first
sponges are called: c) Female sex cells never develop
a) Osculum d) Male sex cells never develop
b) Ostia 15. In sponges, sperms released in water are carried to the
c) Gills eggs by:
d) Gill slits a) Flagellated cells
7. Sponges, feed ____ of their food consists of detrital b) Amoeboid cells
organic particles: c) Ciliated cells
a) 20 % d) Biflagellated cells
b) 60 % 16. It is a typical marine sponge:
c) 80 % a) Sycon
d) 100 % b) Leucoselenia
8. In sponges, adults are ____, while larvae are ______: c) Euplectella
a) Sessile, motile d) Spongilla
b) Motile, sessile 17. It is commonly called ‘Venus’s flower basket’:
c) Motile, solitary a) Sycon
d) Sessile, solitary b) Leucoselenia
c) Euplectella
d) Spongilla
Page 4 of 7
18. Spongilla is: 20. There are ____ species of porifera:
a) A freshwater sponge a) 4000
b) A typical marine sponge b) 5000
c) A sponge that consists of group of erect tubes c) 6000
d) A beautiful and delicate sponge made up of glassy d) 7000
framework 21. All are the benefits of sponges EXCEPT:
19. They are most primitive animals: a) They are for washing and bathing
a) Cnidarians b) They have great capacity to absorb water
b) Arthropods c) They are used in surgical operations for transplant
c) Porifera organs
d) Mollusca d) They are also used for sound absorption in
buildings
Page 5 of 7
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (Answers)
1. The only group of organisms included in parazoan: 9. The spicules of sponges are formed of:
a) Porifera a) Calcareous
b) Cnidaria b) Phosphorous
c) Flatworms c) Siliceous
d) Segmented worms d) Both a or c
2. The simplest of the animals belong to subkingdom: 10. The skeleton of sponges is formed of:
a) Eumetazoa a) Spongin fibres
b) Metazoa b) Keratin fibres
c) Parazoa c) Myosin fibres
d) All of them d) Actin fibres
3. Which of the following shows asymmetry? 11. In sponges, spicules are also present around:
a) Mollusca a) Osculum
b) Echinodermata b) Ostia
c) Porifera c) Body
d) Arthropoda d) All of them
4. The inner layer of sponges (choanoderm) is composed 12. The asexual reproduction in sponges is by:
of: a) Binary fission
a) Flagellated collar cells b) Budding
b) Choanocytes c) Parthenogenesis
c) Both a or b d) Apomixes
d) Ciliated cells 13. In sponges, gemmules are:
5. Between pinacoderm and choanoderm, there is a) Internal gamete formation
present gelatinous mesenchyme which may contain b) Internal gametes fertilization
a) Amoeboid cells c) Internal bud formation
b) Spicules d) Absent
c) Sponging fibres 14. The word protandrous means:
d) Any of them a) Male sex cells develop first
6. The pores through which water enters the body of b) Female sex cells develop first
sponges are called: c) Female sex cells never develop
a) Osculum d) Male sex cells never develop
b) Ostia 15. In sponges, sperms released in water are carried to the
c) Gills eggs by:
d) Gill slits a) Flagellated cells
7. Sponges, feed ____ of their food consists of detrital b) Amoeboid cells
organic particles: c) Ciliated cells
a) 20 % d) Biflagellated cells
b) 60 % 16. It is a typical marine sponge:
c) 80 % a) Sycon
d) 100 % b) Leucoselenia
8. In sponges, adults are ____, while larvae are ______: c) Euplectella
a) Sessile, motile d) Spongilla
b) Motile, sessile 17. It is commonly called ‘Venus’s flower basket’:
c) Motile, solitary a) Sycon
d) Sessile, solitary b) Leucoselenia
c) Euplectella
d) Spongilla
Page 6 of 7
18. Spongilla is: 20. There are ____ species of porifera:
a) A freshwater sponge a) 4000
b) A typical marine sponge b) 5000
c) A sponge that consists of group of erect tubes c) 6000
d) A beautiful and delicate sponge made up of glassy d) 7000
framework 21. All are the benefits of sponges EXCEPT:
19. They are most primitive animals: a) They are for washing and bathing
a) Cnidarians b) They have great capacity to absorb water
b) Arthropods c) They are used in surgical operations for
c) Porifera transplant organs
d) Mollusca d) They are also used for sound absorption in
buildings
Page 7 of 7

1st August (Porifera)

Uploaded by

Document Information

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

1st August (Porifera)

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

BIOLOGY-MDCAT-2023 (MCQs OUTLINE)

DIVERSITY AMONG ANIMALS-THE KINGDOM ANIMALIA

Leucosolenia • A sponge that consists of group of erect tubes.

Euplectella • It is beautiful and delicate sponge made up of glassy framework.

Spongilla • It is freshwater sponge.

You might also like