COURSE I FIRST SEMESTER

PHYLUM PORIFERA

Pore bearing animals exhibiting multicellular organization

Prof. S D Rathod

Poriferans Poriferans are pore bearing,

multicellular, radially symmetrical animals

Canal systems opening by ostia and osculum

Endoderm lined by choanocytes Endoskeleton made of spicules

Diploblastic sponge

Class – Calcaria

All sponges belonging to this class are marine, shallow water dwellers.

Their endoskeleton is made up of calcareous spicules.

Example - Leucosolenia

Class – Hexactinellida

Spicules hexactinate marine, deep sea dwellers and

mostly solitary endoskeleton is made up of siliceous

spicules example - Euplectella

Venus flower basket – Euplectella

deep sea dweller

Class – Demospongia Mostly shallow water forms and

live organized and colonial, leuconoid canal system

Brightly colored and large in size Siliceous or calcareous spongine

fibres Example - Euspongia (Bath sponge)

Bath sponge

Sponges at sea

Thank you