Poríferos

1. PHYLLUM PORIFERA
The Sponges
JORGE ALEXANDER QUIRÓS RODRÍGUEZ
Biólogo marino, M.Sc.
Universidad de Córdoba- Colombia.

2. Phylum Porifera Overview
• Multicellular animals
There is some debate if sponges are
complex colonial protozans and not
metazoans.
• Sponges
 Over 9.000 species
 2% of all sponges are freshwater,
 none are terrestrial

3. Phylum Porifera Overview
• Sponges occur in shallow water
habitats and vary widely in size
(up to 1m. high) and shape.
Unlike most metazoans they lack:
• All sponges are sessile filter
feeders

6. Sponge Diversity
Erect Rope Sponge Black-ball sponge
Yellow Tube Sponge

7. Sizes and shapes

8. Coloration

9. Substrate

11. Porifera Anatomy
• Spongocoel
• Ostia
• Oscules

12. Collar Cells
Choanocytes
Choanocytes: (collar cells) act as a
pump to bring water into the sponge

13. Sponge support
• Collagen is found between the
inner canals and chambers
 Mesohyl
• Ameboid cells located in the
mesohyl, have different roles
 Archeocytes
 Sclerocytes

14. Sponge support

15. Spicules
• Collagen is stiffened by adding
microscopic mineral accretions
or additional protein fibers
(spongin) or both.
 Spicules: skeleton
structures, made of calcium
carbonate (CaCO3) or silicon
dioxide (SiO2).

16. Spicules

17. Sponge types
Ascon Leucon
Sycon

18. Porifera reproduction
• Asexual
Regeneration: can regenerate from
broken pieces
• Sexual
Usually hermaphroditic with male
and female cells scattered
throughout the connective tissue.

19. Porifera larvae
• Neighboring sponges are fertilized by
sperm entering through the ostia
 Ciliated larvae (Parenchymula) is
released.
Parenchymula

20. Porifera

22. Porifera Classification
Phylum Porifera
 Class Calcarea
 Class Demospongiae
 Class Hexactinellida
 Sclerospongiae is no longer
considered a class

23. • Small group of sponges that resemble corals
• Found in dark tunnels in coral reefs
• The skeleton consists of siliceous espicules
and spongin on a thick basal layer of calcium
carbonate
• A soft body that covers a hard, often massive
skeleton
Class Sclerospongiae

24. Class Calcarea
• Have spicules made of calcium
carbonate
• Mostly small in size (<15 cm.),
and form irregular masses
• Never contain spongin,
restricted to shallow water, and
strictly marine

26. Class Demospongiae (Most sponges)
• Have spicules made of
silicon dioxide (SiO2) or
spongin or a combination of
both.
• Most sponges belong to this
class (90%)
Nearly all are leuconoid
body type
• Mostly found on the
continental shelf
• Spongia spp. (Bath sponge)

28. Class Hexactinellida (Glass sponges)
• Spicules are made of silica.
• Usually found in deep water on soft substrates in the tropics 200-
1,000m.
• Spicules are six pointed and have a lattice-like structure
• Cup, vase or urn shape
Euplectella (Deep sea Glass sponge)

30. TOLERAN BIEN LA CONTAMINACIÓN POR HIDROCARBUROS, METALES PESADOS Y
DETERGENTES
TOXINAS Y ANTIBIÓTICOS (EVITAN LA DEPREDACIÓN)
UTILIDAD FARMACOLÓGICA
ANTIIMFLAMATORIAS, CARDIOVASCULARES, GASTROINTESTINALES
ANTIVIRALES, ANTITUMORALES