PHYLUM PORIFERA CHARACTERISTICS

CHARACTERISTICS OF PHYLUM PORIFERA (SPONGES)

Phylum Porifera is included in Sub Kingdom Parazoa.
Introduction: Phylum Porifera includes simple metazoan animals which are known as Sponges.
Sponges are lowly organised less evolved animals. They are mainly marine, but few are fresh water
forms.
a) Peyssonel regarded the sponges as houses of worms.
b) Ellis (1765) observed water currents in these organisms.
c) Linnaeus, Lamarck and Cuvier placed them under Zoophyta.
d) Robert Grant (1836) coined the word Porifera and kept Sponges in it.

General characters of phylum porifera:

1. Porifera animals are multi cellular, sessile and sedentary animals.
2. Some of them show radial symmetry, but a few are asymmetrical.
3. These are cellular grade metozoan animals.
4. They are mainly marine, but 'spongillidae' is a fresh water family.
5. Poriferans may show different colours because of lipochrome in chromocyte ccDs.
6. Poriferans are diploblastic animals, they show outer pinacoderm, (dermal layer), inner choanoderm
gastral layer) and in between them mesenchyme is present.The mesenchyme contains Amoebocytes
and Spicules.
7. On the body of sponges a number of dermal ostia are present.
8.In sponges the centre of the body paragastric cavity is present.
9.The skeletal system of sponges include spicules. They are made by CaC03 or silicon or spongin.
10. In the body of sponges canal system is present. By the action of flagella water current is brought in.
It is called incurrent water current. It is respiratory and nutritive. The water that flows out through
oscudum is called excurrent water. It takes away waste materials.
11. The choanocytes or collar cells will filter the water and-catch the prey. They digest the food. They
are nutritive cells.
12. Definite digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems are absent.
13. The archaeocytes will produce sex cells.
14. Asexual reproduction is carried on by budding, gemmule formation etc.
15. Porifera animals are bisexual and protandrous. Fertilization is internal.
16. in sponges two types of larva are seen, parenchymula and amphiblastula larva.
17.Sponges show high capacity of regeneration.

PORIFERA- CLASSIFICATION
CLASSIFICATION OF PHYLUM PORIFERA
Phylum porifera is classified mainly basing on skeleton . It is divided into 3 classes. sponges
spicules plays a very important role in classification of porifera.

1. Class: Calcarea
2. Class: Hexactinellida
3. Class: Demospongiae

CLASS 1 : CALCAREA
1.Skeleton is made by calcareaous spicules.
2.They show single spongocoel cavity which opens to the outside through a single opening called
osculum.
3.Radially symmetrical animals.
4.Choanocyte cells are large.
This is divided into 2 orders.
Order 1 : Homocoela:
1.Spongocoel is lined by choanocytes internally.
2.Simple sponges or included in this order.
Ex : Clathrina, Leucosolenia, Olynthus.
Order 2 : Heterocoela
1.Spongocoel is lined by epithelial cells.
2.Choanocytes restricted to radial canals only.
3Leuconoid or Syconoid canal system is seen. Ex : Sycon. Grantia.
CLASS II : HEXACTINELLIDA (OR) HYALOSPONGIAE :

1. Skeleton contains six rayed, or triaxon, siliceous spicules.

2. Radially symmetrical.
3. These are also known as glass sponges.
This class includes 2 orders
Order 1. Hexasterophora :
1. The spicules are of hexasters type.
2. They are attached to hard objects. Ex : Euplectella
Order 2. Amphidiscophora :
1. The spicules are amphidiscs.
2. These sponges are attached to the substratum by root tufts.
Ex : Hyalonema -Glass rope sponge
CLASS III : DEMOSPONGIAE :
1.Skeleton either absent or present. The skeleton contains spongin fibres or silicious spicules or both.
This class is divided into 3 subclasses.
Subclass 1. Tetractinellida :
1.The skeleton consists of tetraxon spicules or without spicules.
2.They are mostly solid rounded structures.
3.Leuconoid canal system is present. This subclass is divided into three orders.
Order 1. Myxospongida :
1.Structure is simple
2.Skeleton is absent. Eg.Oscarella
Order 2. Carnosa (or) Homosclerophora :
1)Equal sized spicules are present.
2)Megascleres and microscleres are not sharply differentiated.
Ex : Plakina.
Order 3. Choristida :
I) Microscleres and megascleres are distinct.
Eg ,Tetilla,Geodia.
Subclass 2. Monaxonida :

1) Skeleton consists of monaxon spicules.

2)Spongin fibres may or may not be present.
3) They are cosmopolitan in their distribution.
4)Shallow or deep water forms. This subclass includes 3 orders.
Order 1. Hadromerida :
Spongin fibres absent.Monaxon spicules are represented by tylostyles.
Eg : 1) Cliona (Boring sponge) 2)Tethya.
Order 2. Halichondrida
Monaxon spicules are seen.
Eg : Halichondria.
Order 3. Poecilosclerida :
Monaxon spicules are present. Microscleres are sigmas, toxas etc.
Eg : Microciona.

SYCON SPONGE (SCYPHA) STRUCTURE AND ITS CANAL

SYSTEM AND NUTRITION.
ORGANISATION OF SYCON.SPONGE (SCYPHA)
Sycon or Scypha is a typical, small colonial sponge. It belongs to
SYCON-Classification :
Phylum.Porifera
Class..Calcarea

OrderHeterocoela
Sycon is widely distributed marine sponge. It is sedentary. It is attached to rocks, shells etc. in shallow
sea water.

EXTERNAL CHARACTERS.
1. SIZE AND SHAPE OF SYCON SPONGE: The colony contains groups of cylinders, which are
branched. Each cylinder grows three inches in length. All the branched cylinders are connected to a
base. At the apex of the cylinder an opening is present called oseulum. Around this opening monaxon
spicules are arranged in a circle, called oscular fringe.
2. Colour : The body shows many colours from grey to brown shade.
INTERNAL STRUCTURE OF SYCON:
Sycon is a diplob lastic animal .The body wall is made by two layers
1) Derma 1 layer and 2) Gastral layer. In between them mesenchyme is present.
A) Dermal layer : This layer contains pinacocytes and porocytes.
1. Pinacocytes : These are simple flat, polygonal cells. These are highly contractile. They cover the
entire outer body surface of the sponge. Pinacocytes covering the outer body surf from the
dermal epithelium and which cover paragastric cavity and form the gastral epithelium.
2. Potocytes :These are tubular cells distributed among the pinacocytes. They form the openings on
the dermal layer.
B) Gastral layer : it shows choanocytes and epithelial cells.
Qvanocytes : These are round cells. They show big nucleus A long flagellum s rises from each cell. At
base of the flagellum a protoplasmic collar is present. The action of flagellum brings in water. This cell
is useful in digestion, respiration and other functions.
C) Mesenchyme : It is present between dermal and gastral layers. It contains amoebocytes. They are
many types.
1) Scleroblasts : The amoebocytes secrete skeleton. Scleroblasts are of three types :
1) Calcoblasts . Scleroblasts that secrete calcareous spicules.
ii) Silicoblasts . Scleroblasts that secrete silicious spicules
iii') Spongioblasts . Scleroblasts that secrete spongin fibres.
2) Chromocytes: Amoebocytes with pigment and give colour to the body.
3) Thesocytes : These cells contain reserve food material.
4) Archeocytes : These are big in size. They give rise to sex cells.
5) Myocytes : These are highly contractile cells. They are arranged circularly around the osculum arid
other openings. They guard and regulate the apertures.
6) Gland cells : They are attached to the surface of the sponge. They produce slime.

CANAL SYSTEM IN SYCON SPONGE:

Sycon shows syconoid type of canal system.
a) Dermal ostla : On the body of the sycon dermal ostia are present. They open into incurrent canals
b) In current canals : These are narrow canals. These are covered inside by epethelial cells. They
show some openings here and there called prosopyles.
c) Radial canal: The body wall is folded. In these foldings radial canals are present at regular
intervals. Prosopyles open into these Radial canals.

In between the two successive radial canals a tubular space, called incurrent canal, is present. Thus
radial canals and incurrent canals are arranged alternately.
The radial canals are lined with flagellated cells The flagellar action brings water into the body.
d) Excurrent chambers : The radial canal opens into excurrent chamber through apopyle openings.
This chamber is lined by epithelial cells. It opens into spongocoel.
e) Spongocoel : In the centre of the body of sycon a narrow cavity is present called spongocoel. It
opens out through osculum.
Course of water current :

NUTRITION IN SYCON SPONGE:

a) Food : The food of sycon is small minute bacteria, diatoms, protozoans etc. The food particles come
into the sponge along with water current.
b) Digestion : The digestion is intracellular. The food particles are usually captured by the
choanocytes. Digestion takes place in the choanocytes. The digested food is passed to other cells. The
reserve food is stored in the form offats, glycogen and Droteins in the thesocyte.
The undigested marter sent out through osculum along with excurrent water current.

SYCON SPONGE-SPICULES :
In sycon the skeleton contains calcareous spicules. These are of the following types,
(i) Large one rayed needle like Monaxon spicules,
(ii) Simple monaxon spicules project from dermal layers on the walls of the radial canals,
(iii) Triaxon spicules are present on the walls of spongocoel.
(iv) Tetraxon spicules are present on the walls of spongocoel.
RESPIRATION : Respiratory organs are absent in sycon. Respiration is by simple diffusion, between
the cells of sponge and water.
EXCRETION : In sycon excretory organs are absent. It is done by diffusion. Some people say the
excretory wastes will go out of the body through excurrent water.
REPRODUCTION IN SYCON SPONGE: it is carried on by asexual and sexual methods. Budding is
the common asexual method.
Sexual reproduction is carried on by the development of sperms and ova. Fertilisation is internal. In the
life history Amphiblastula larva is seen .

SYCON-SPONGE- HISTOLOGY
SYCON SPONGE BODY-DIFFERENT TYPES OF CELLS
Sycon is a sedentary, aquatic organism.The
shows diploblastic nature. It has 2 layers,

sycon sponge structure is describe in previous topic. It

i) Dermal layer ii) Gastral layer, in between the 2 layers, mesenchyme is present. In the
Mesenchyme many amoebocytes are present.

A) DERMAL LAYER :
It is the outermost layer of the body. It is also called 'Pinacoderm'. It has 2 kinds of cells, i)
Pinacocytes ii) Porocytes.
i) Pinacocytes : These are flat cells. They are polygonal in shape. They are
thin. They are nucleated. All the cells are closely fitted without inter-cellular spaces. This layer give
protection to the body. They are highly contractile in nature. They are covering the spongocoel also.
ii) Porocytes : These are cylindrical cells. These cells contain a central pore. In the pinocoderm these
cells are present, here and there. Wherever they are present pores are formed.
B) GASTRALLAYER : The inner layer of the body is called 'gastral layer'. It is also
called 'choanoderm'. It contains 2 kinds of cells
(i) Choanocytes or collar cells (ii) Epithelial cells.
i) Choanocytes : These cells are called flagellated cells. These are round and nucleated. They have a
long flagellum. At the base of the flagellum a protoplasmic collar is present. This collar will filter the
water and catch the microorganisms and the cell will digest them. Hence these cells are called nutritive
cells. Because of the action of their flagella they draw water into the body and pushes it out of the
body.

ii) Epithelial cells : in between the choanocytes thin epithelial ceils are present. Because of the
epithelial cells the inner gastral layer is complete.
MESENCHYME : In between the pinacoderm and choanoderm mesenchyme
is present. In this mesenchyme many amoeba shaped amoebocytes are present. They perform different
functions.
1) Myocytes : These amoebocytes are muscular in nature. They show contractions and expansions.
They are present around the openings like ostia and osculum. When conditions are unfavourable, these
amoebocytes will contract and close the openings.
2) Chromocytes : Amoebocytes contain different pigments and they are coloured. Because of these
amoebocytes the sponge will get colour.
3) Thcsocytes : These amoebocytes will store food materials. During starvation period and asexual
reproduction they are useful. They are round in shape.
4) Scleroblasts : These amoebocytes will produce spicules. They are three kinds.
1. Calco blast : They produce calcareous spicules.
2. Silico blast :They produce silieious spicules.
3. Spongio blast : They produce spongin fibres.
5) Archaeocyte : These amoebocytes are very important in sexual reproduction. They give rise to sex
cells. Male sex cell is 'sperm'. Female sex cell is 'ovum'.
6) Collencytes: These cells give slender branched pseudopodia. All these branches form a net work.
Hence they are called connective tissue cells.
7) Trophocytes: These cells show pseudopodia. They collect food from collar cells and digest it. They
distribute the digested food.
8) Gland cells: These cells produce an extension to the dermal layer and secret sticky matter which is
useful to the sponge for attachment.

CANAL SYSTEM IN SPONGES

Body of all sponges is the perforated by large number of apertures through which water enters Inside
body and flows through a system of criss-crossing canals collectively forming the canal system which is a
characteristic feature of poriferans. Following types of canal systems are found in sponges:

Ascon type, with flagellated spongocoel

Sycon type, with flagellated radial canals

Leucon type, with flagellated chambers

Rhagon type, with conical shape and broad base

ASCON TYPE
This is the simplest type of canal system and is found in Leucosolenia and other homocoela. Ostia are
present on the surface of body and lead directly into the spongocoel, which is lined by flagellated
choanocyte cells. Spongocoel opens to the outside through a narrow circular opening,
the osculum located at the distal free end of the sponge body. Water enters through ostia into
spongocoel and goes out of body through theosculum.
SYCON TYPE
This type of canal system is a characteristic of syconoid sponges, e.g. Scypha and Grantia. Body wall is
secondarily folded to form incurrent and radial canals, which open into the spongocoel by an opening
calledapopyle. Both types of canals are interconnected by minute pores called prosopyles. Incurrent
pores or ostiaare found on the outer surface of body and open into the incurrent canals, which lead into
adjacent radial canals through minute openings called prospyles. Radial canals are the flagellated
chambers that open into central spongocoel by internal openings called apopyles. Spongocoel is a
narrow, without flagellated cells but is lined by pinacocytes and opens to exterior through the osculum.
In more complex sycon type, as found in Grantia, the incurrent canals travel along an irregular course
through the tissue and connect to the radial canals, thus forming large sub-dermal spaces.
LEUCON TYPE

In this case, the radial canals get divided into small rounded or oval flagellated chambers by further
folding of the body wall. This is a characteristic feature of the leuconoid sponges such as Spongilla.
Incurrent canals open into flagellated chambers through prosopyles. Flagellated chambers, in their turn,
communicate with excurrent canals through apopyles. Excurrent canals are formed as a result of division
of spongocoel which has almost disappeared in these sponges. Thus excurrent canals communicate with
the outside through a small spongocoel and an osculum.
This type of canal system has varying degree of complexity of canals and based on that it can be
classified into the following three types:

Eurypylous type: In this type, the flagellated chambers communicate directly by broad apertures
called the apopyles, with the excurrent canals. Incurrent canal brings water into the flagellate
chamber throughprosopyle. E.g. Plakina

Aphodal type: In this type, the apopyle is drawn out as a narrow canal, called aphodus, which
connects the flagellated chamber with excurrent canal. Here also incurrent canal brings water into
the flagellate chamber. E.g. Geodia.

Diplodal Type: In some sponges, besides aphodus, another narrow tube, called prosodus, is
present between incurrent canal and flagellated chamber. E.g., Spongilla and Oscarella.

RHAGON TYPE
In Demospongiae, leuconoid condition is derived from the larval stage, called rhagon as found
in Spongilla. The body is conical and tent like in shape, tapering towards the osculum. The spongocoel is
bordered by oval flagellated chambers opening into it by apopyles. Mesenchyme is considerably thick
and is traversed by incurrent canals and subdermal cavity. Water enters into the subdermal cavity
through ostium and then enters the incurrent canal or it can be called prosodus. Flagellate chambers are
connected to the spongocoel through the excurrent canal or it can be called aphodus. This canal system
is primitive as compared todiplodal type and when the larva grows transformed to diplodal type.
Significance of Canal System
The flagella of choanocytes beat to produce a water current, which enters the sponogocoel through
ostia. It carries food particles and oxygen and sweeps away the metabolic wastes through osculum.
Therefore, the canal system serves the function of food collection, respiration and excretion. In simple
type of canal system, there is lesser number of cells and thin body wall but as the canal system becomes
more complex, the number of flagellated cells increases and the force to draw water current is
increased. The syconoid canal system is therefore more efficient than the asconoid type and
the leuconoid type is the most efficient.