Phylum Porifera

Question 1

Describe the characteristics of Porifera

Answer 1

• no tissue
• they are filter feeders
• larval stages are motile (they float)
• they are asymmetrical
• have flagellated choanocyte cells (cells that allow water to flow through and out of the organism)

Question 2

What are the classes within Phylum Porifera?

Answer 2

1. Class Calcarea
2. Class Hexactinellida
3. Class Homoscleromorphia
4. Class Demospongiae

Question 3

Describe Class Calcarea

Answer 3

• have calcium carbonate spicules
• mostly found in shallow water connected to a substrate
• have all three body plans

Question 4

Describe Class Homoscleromorphia

Answer 4

• found in the continental shelf
• their fossil record dates back to the Jurassic era
• have the leucon body plan
• have silica spicules

Question 5

Describe Class Hexactinellida

Answer 5

• glass sponges
• have silica spicules
• shaped like a tube
• live in shallow, cold waters
• have the sycon and leucon body plans

Question 6

Describe Class Demospongiae

Answer 6

• live in all depths
• live on soft-sediments
• attaches to mats
• have the leucon body plan
• have spongin spicules

Question 7

Describe the Ascon body plan

Answer 7

the ascon body plan is a filter-feeding body that has little to no choanocyte cells that allow for filter feeding to be most effective and capture the food

Question 8

Describe the Sycon body plan

Answer 8

the sycon body plan is a filter-feeding body that allows for water flow through the body and filter feeds some of the food/particles that pass through the body

Question 9

Describe the Leucon body plan

Answer 9

the leucon body plan is a filter-feeding body that has many choanocyte cells that capture food and particles. In return, water flow takes a while longer compared to the other body plans