Sponges are the simplest multicellular animals that attach to surfaces underwater to feed, and reproduce both sexually and asexually. They exist in two forms - encrusting sponges that grow like moss on rocks, and free-standing sponges that have more internal space and sometimes grow in large, strange shapes.

1. Sponges and Cnidarians By: Connie Davis Period 2 Biology

2. Sponges Sponges are the simplest form of a multicellular animal. A sponge is a bottom dwelling creature which attaches itself to something solid in a place where it can find enough food to grow.

3. How do sponges reproduce? Most sponges are both male and female. During mating, one sponge plays the male role and the other plays the female role. Sperm is released by the “male” sponge and enters the “female” sponge. After internal fertilization, larvae is released. After floating around for a few days, they settle down and start growing.

4. Two types of sponges Encrusting sponges and Free- standing sponges Encrusting sponges -are similar to moss because they tend to cover the surfaces of rocks. Free-standing sponges -have lots of inner volume compared with their surface area. Sometimes, they grow into strange shapes and gigantic sizes. Because of their strange and large shapes, free standing sponges are best known to people.