Porifera Flashcards
What is the phylum of porifers?
Porifera
Are porifers multicellular or unicellular?
Multicellular
Do porifers have tissues and organs?
No, they lack tissues and organs
What is the main body structure of porifers?
Porous body with numerous pores
What is the function of the pores in porifers?
To allow water to flow through and filter food particles
What is the name of the specialized cells in porifers responsible for filtering food particles?
Choanocytes
What is the skeleton of porifers made of?
Calcium carbonate or silica
How do porifers reproduce asexually?
Through budding or fragmentation
Do porifers have a nervous system?
No, they lack a nervous system
What is the name of the larvae stage in porifers?
Parenchymula
Do porifers have a digestive system?
No, they lack a true digestive system
What is the common name for porifers?
Sponges
What is the primary habitat of porifers?
Marine environments
What is the process by which porifers filter food particles from water called?
Filter feeding
What is the function of spicules in porifers?
Provide structural support and deter predators
What is the body symmetry of porifers?
Asymmetrical
Do porifers have a circulatory system?
No, they lack a circulatory system
What is the name of the outer layer of cells in porifers?
Pinacoderm
What is the process by which porifers expel waste called?
Exocytosis
What is the function of amoebocytes in porifers?
Transport nutrients and produce skeletal elements
Are porifers sessile or motile?
Sessile
What is the scientific name for the opening in porifers through which water exits?
Osculum
Do porifers have a respiratory system?
No, they lack a respiratory system
What is the process by which porifers maintain osmotic balance with the environment called?
Osmoregulation
