Sponges-Porifera body structur how do porifera sponges move around

Some are brightly colored yellow or fluorescent reddish orange. Some sponges are an almost colorless white or beige, and some are camouflage greenish brown. Sponges can be soft or hard, flexible or brittle. The height and width of sponges ranges from less than one inch (a few millimeters) to about 5 feet (1.5 meters). Some sponges have mitten-shaped or finger-like bulges on the body wall.

Some form a crust on their rocky habitat. Some sponges have skeletons made of both spicules and spongin. Sponges that do not have spicules are supported by strong, flexible fibers made of a protein called spongin. In others they are interlocked to make a delicate framework. In some sponges the spicules cover the outside of the body. The body of many sponges is supported by tiny rods or star-shaped structures called spicules (SPIH-kyoolz).

A pumping action moves the water through the sponge and out through a large hole at the end of each tube. The movement of whiplike cells in the center of the sponge draws water through the holes and into the sponge. Sponges are clumps of cells arranged around masses of tubes. SPONGES: Porifera NO COMMON NAME ( Soleneiscus radovani): SPECIES ACCOUNTS BIRD'S NEST SPONGE ( Pheronema carpenteri): SPECIES ACCOUNTS FRESHWATER SPONGE ( Spongilla lacustris): SPECIES ACCOUNTS PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Sponges-Porifera body structur how do porifera sponges move around